The Immortal Next Door
by Danniic66
Summary: Darren and Mr. Crepsley are traveling with the cirque when Darren makes an amazing discovery. How will the vampire council handle this new revelation? rated T gets messy further on in the chapters R&R please. CHAPTER 37 UPLOADED :D
1. The Immortal Next Door

**Chapter 1 (Finding the unknown immortal)**

The camp had been on the move for a while now, almost 2 months on the road nonstop, not even to put on a show here and there, where ever Mr. Tall wanted to go he wasn't going to let anything or anyone get in his way of reaching his destination.

Finally after what felt like an eternity on the road, the Cirque De Freaks came to a complete stand still. It wasn't the best looking place to of stopped, surrounded by trees, and the faint sounds of water in the distant. This place reminded me far too much of the place where I first met Sam, if I couldn't hear the water in the background I would have sworn this was the exact same place.

Evra and me was kept extremely busy when the cirque first stopped, helping put up tents, helping cook, putting up more tents, cutting down fire wood, finding food for the little people, putting up more tents, the list was endless, things wasn't all bad though, I got to catch up with people who had been on separate trucks to myself and Evra. It was nice to be able to stop and catch up on the latest news.

I often found myself wondering how they were going to move Mr. Crepsley's coffin whilst he was still in it, so I decided to ask one of the chef organisers David, who told people where to set what up where.

"Well to be honest we normally don't move his stuff until he is up and about. It stops little accidents like before." David scratched the back of his head nervously and smiled sheepishly.

"Why what happened before? What accident?" I had to know I would stop at nothing to find out.

"Well we 'use' to have a worker here, Lee the strong man I think his name was, he foolishly, one day decided it would be a good idea to carry Mr. Crepsley's coffin with him still inside it I might add, to where it needed to go, anyway to cut a long story short, he somehow managed to drop the coffin, and sent Mr. Crepsley flying out into a lovely patch of sun, I was only an apprentice at the time for the chef organiser before me but I remember it so clearly" David stared off into the distance a while replying the event in his mind, giggling to himself.

I was speechless "Wow…What happened to this worker Lee?"

"Well rumour has it." David lent in closer to me and spoke in an almost undetectable whisper, "Mr. Tall was so angry at Lee for so foolishly endangered the life of one of his closest friends, that he told the little people to 'dispose' of him" David stood back up straight and looked around. "Others say that Lee was worried as to what Mr. Crepsley would do to him come night fall, he high tailed it out of here and never looked back." David let out another nervous laugh "who could blame him, I would have ran for the hills as quick as possible and found a nice tropical place to hide." We both shared a laugh, but I could tell he was being completely honest.

David had to return to his duties, leaving me with so many questions I thought I was going to explode, when someone tapped me on the shoulder.

"Hay daydreamer, what's up you look like you have a lot on your mind." Evra looked worried at first but when I reviled the story David had just told me, he too was bursting with questions.

"Wow…imagine that." Evra looked at me confused. "Hang on are you sure you heard the clumsy workers name right?"

"Ye I'm positive; it was Lee the Strong man, why?" I asked puzzled.

"There has only ever been one Lee the strong man ever to of worked here and that was over 150 years ago." Evra looked a bit alarmed.

"How in Paradises name do you know that?" I had recently discovered that after spending so much time handing around the old red clothed vampire I myself was starting to talk like him. Dame it all.

"I was helping Mr. Tall sort out some old 'workers files' shall we say and I saw a drawing of him, and it was dated at the bottom 1850, which was 150 years ago."

"Hold on if that's true, how was David there to witness it, He said he was only an apprentice when it happened, that's imposable, and there is no way in paradise he is that old!" I was desperately trying to sort out what was going on, "maybe I should ask Mr. Crepsley when he wakes up?" I looked up at the sun trying to judge how long I would have to wait till I got any answers, if any.

"Or…" Evra had a plan forming in his head and I knew I wasn't going to like it; I didn't even need to look over to him to know he had a chilling smile plastered across his face. "Maybe we should ask David ourselves."

The hunt was on for David; Evra was taking this really seriously, ducking behind tents and vans, whereas for me I was just casually walking around asking people along the way if they had seen David and if they knew where he might be.

"Pissssst…Darren…Over here." Evra was underneath one of the vans.

"Evra come out I'm not getting under there you know. I only managed to get this suit cleaned a few days ago." I looked down and admired my clean cloths, being with Mr. Crepsley for so long had really started to take its toll.

Evra emerged from under the van, after the way was safe and was covered head to toe in mud and dirt, I hid my smile. "Have you found him yet?"

"Evra, why are you running around like a member of the S.A.S? His not a terrorist you know." I was trying so hard to hold in my laughter my face was turning red.

"We have to make sure no one sees us, they might go to David and tell him we are looking for him."

"What do you need boys?" Evra jumped 6foot in the air and dashed back under the van, I shook my head and pinched the bridge of my nose, another Crepsley habit, I have to put a stop to this and soon, "I heard you were looking for me."

"Ye sorry, Evra has been jumpy all day. Must be a snake thing." I giggled

"Well you found me; well really I found you but let's not knit pick, what…"

"DAVID, WHERE YOU WANT THIS!" Bellowed an extremely loud man, he was carrying a rather big box with a couple other people.

"Boy, if they ever ask you to be an organizer Darren, run, run for your life." We both laughed. "My work is never done…Hay, do you and Evra mind giving me a hand with this I might need your nimbleness." He put his hand on my shoulder.

"Ye sure I'll just get Evra from under." As I bent down to look under the van his was gone. "Wow he moved fast, well it looks like it's just you and me then."

"That's fine, I don't think a jumpy Evra would be much use with this the stuff in the box is VERYYY fragile." He looked at me and shot me a look of 'so don't you dear drop it.'

I didn't have a clue what was in the box but it was heavy, REALLY heavy even for me, paradise knows how the humans are picking it up, David on the other hand didn't look effected by the weight at all, and would occasionally carry his end of the box with one hand, whilst directing other people where he wanting things going. Finally with grunts from all including myself we put the box down in David's tent at the far end of the camp site. I decided I would ask him about it.

"Hay David." I looking around to find him kneeling next to the box messing with the side I couldn't see.

"One second Mate this bits delicate work." He stuck his tongue out to the side and bit down a sure sign he was concentrating, so I stood perfectly still and just watched him fiddle around. After a short time he emerged his hand above the box. He was holding a small glass vile full of water. I looked curiously at the vile 'he went through all of that for some water…strange'

"Whatever you do Darren please don't drink ANY water that comes from this crate understand." He wasn't nasty about what he said but he said it with enough force so I knew he wasn't joking.

"Ok I'll leave the water to you and I'll stick with blood then." I was trying to make light of this unusual situation, luckily David smiled "Just as smart as your maker ay." I didn't know if I should have been offended or pleased that he compared me to Mr. Crepsley, but he said I was intelligent so it must be a good thing, I smiled in reply.

"Thanks I guess."

"Any way what was you looking for me for you need help with something?" he said down in a very comfortable looking chair and sipped from his vile.

He looked at me with a cheeky grin when he realised I was still standing, "Take a set, I don't bite, same can't be said about yourself but what can you do ay" he was trying to cover up his laughter as best he could, I giggled and sat down in the chair next to his. He handed me a vile of blood and I thanked him and uncorked it.

"So finally with no more interruptions, what was it you were looking for me for?" he sighed a breath of relief he would at long last be able to find out what Darren wanted.

"I just wanted to ask you something about the story you told me with Lee the strong man?" I looked at my vile of blood nervously.

"Oh…let me guess you want to know how I could of possibly been there as an apprentice when it was over 150 years ago when it happened."

"Well yes I only realised when Evra told me Lee use to work here in 1850 I think it was. And if I may say so you don't look 150 years old" I awaited his response eagerly.

He laughed and patted my on the arm, "I'm glad I've managed to keep my devilish good looks over the years. However Evra is spot on it happened on September 25th 1855, is this why he was hiding?" He smiled in disbelief.

"To be honest, yes, the Gods knows what he was thinking but it made him jumpy, as I'm sure you saw." I had started to relax now enjoying my blood in the world's softest chair. "Hang on, how do you remember the exact date it happened? Also it still doesn't answer how you saw it if you aren't that old?" I was even more puzzled now then I had been before I sat down.

"It was hilarious, and the date just stuck, I tell ya, I have never seen a vampire give more attention to hunting someone down rather than take shelter from the sun." He stopped and again replayed the events out and giggled to himself. Once he was through he looked at me again "To answer your other question... Maybe I'm a vampire to." He watched my closely awaiting my answer.

"No I don't think so, first off you don't have 10 lovely little give aways on your fingertips, and secondly you don't feel like a vampire to me." I looked down at my scars, then back to David.

"You would be absolutely correct, I'm not a vampire or a vampaneze, I'm a lot older than that, I watched both species grow and evolve from wolves to vampires from vampires to a split clan, I've lived every war imaginable, I speak many different tongues and I have seen the rise and fall of every empire known to man and some unknown." He was staring at his case intently now, not even blinking, I in turn stared at him, not blinking wondering what he was talking about.

"What are you then if neither vampire nor vampaneze yet you out live us all?"

"I am…complicated." He turned and looked at me and smiled. I took it as a sign I wasn't in danger and didn't have to make a brake for the exit.

"Ok then Mr. Complicated, what's in the crate?" I had gone this far why not go the rest of the way with the questions. I expected another riddle for an answer but he chuckled and sighed "That is even more complicated them me, now no more questions I'm sure Mr. Crepsley will be waking soon and he is bound to want to see you." He stood stretched, turned and faced me "Please keep this conversation we just had between me and you. Please, last think I need is even more curious people asking more questions." I looked at him baffled what he told me I couldn't really spread around, however I saw how much his privacy meant to him so I agreed and started heading for the doorway.

"Oh and one more think Darren." He smiled cheekily at me, "You sound more and more like Mr. Crepsley every day."


	2. Losing My Best Friend

**Chapter 2 (losing my old best friend but gaining a new one)**

I hadn't seen Evra for a good 2 hours, the last I saw of him he was underneath a truck hiding from David our head organiser here at the cirque, I have just left his tent on the far side of camp, he had been obsessed with that crate I and a few other people help carry into his tend, and after our strange conversation, I was still lost as to what he meant by "_Please keep this conversation we just had between me and you."_ All he did was answer my questions with a riddle.

"Well no point worrying about it, it isn't doing any harm to me or others so it's none of my concern." I let the matter about the crate slide, "I can't believe he said I sounded like Mr. Crepsley. Well maybe I do sometimes but that's not the point, to be told by somebody else that must mean it's noticeable to everyone…" I stopped dead I'm my tracks and looked around for the first person I set eyes on. Mr. Tall. I dashed over to him as fast as my legs would carry me, before he had the chance to disappear into thin air.

"Excuse me Mr. Tall can I ask you a really quick question." He was standing with his back towards me.

"Yes you do very much so." He didn't even look at me or wait for me to ask my question.

"Yes I do very much so what?" if I was using my head at the time I would have known where this was going.

"Yes you do sound incredibly similar to Larten." I stood shell shocked.

"Please tell me you're joking." I looked at him heartbroken.

"Master Shan I would not lie or joke about it, what is so wrong about sounding so much like him?" Mr. Tall had somehow manned to turn around to face me without me realising, he tends to dart round the camp anyway so it's something you get used to.

"He is just so strict and his speech is the same as well, I don't want to end up sounding strict." I started pouting. Mr. Tall laughed "Do not take it to heart Master Shan, he is a closed man, you more than anyone should know that. Events in his life have not been easy, He is just the way he is." and with that walked away. I didn't bother to follow him, or try and ask him more questions, there was no point, and I knew when it came to Mr. Crepsley's past to leave well enough alone.

I wondered around the camp a little, making sure no one needed me; I started headed back to mine and Evra's tent which we had shared since I first arrived. Hopefully he's stopped his SAS mission and gone back to normal.

"Hay Evra, you in here?" I looked around, his hammock was empty but Bippo was still in his tank. I wondered around a little then jumped in my hammock; I could grab a quick nap before Mr. Crepsley would wake up. I had just fall asleep when Evra burst into the tent and pushed me off my hammock.

I looked around a little dazed, I must have hit my head hard. Eventually my vision came into focus and I was greeted with Evra scowling at me. I stood up slowly and held my head. "What the hell was that for? I might be bleeding you idiot." I wasn't at all happy; he had a lot of explaining to do.

"You spent awhile in David's tent didn't you…what was you talking about?" Evra looked odd but I just couldn't work it out.

"Seriously... That's all you have to say, you could have done some serious damage" I sat back in my hammock feeling slightly sick and dizzy.

"What's in the crate then? And how did he know about what happened in 1850?"

"I don't know and I don't know. He didn't tell me what was in the crate and he didn't tell me how he knew. What's wrong with you; why are you all suspicious of him; his really nice, same can't be said about you at the moment." I stood up and headed for the door to find someone who could sort out my head, but Evra grabbed my arm stopping me in my tracks.

"You've gone soft. We should sneak into his tend and have a look ourselves what's in the crate." He started grinning evilly and I knew something was defiantly wrong. I pulled my arm out of his grasp and pushed him back.

"What the hell is going on with you lately, we are not sneaking into anyone's tend. Got it?" I was still dizzy but I pushed it aside, Evra's behaviour had really put me on edge and I had a feeling it may lead to a fight.

"HA you're just a weak, little, poor excuse of a vampire who's always been scared of getting court. You're a joke." Evra was laughing uncontrollably now at my hurt exception. I walked back over to my hammock, took it down, and collected my things. It took every ounce of will power I had to stop me from retaliating. "Going to run off to daddy like always. Oh ye that's right... you don't have a dad do ya." I snapped, blind with rage I dropped everything and within the blinking of an eye I had Evra by the scruff of the neck glaring hatefully into his eyes.

"At least I have someone." I didn't shout but my words dripped with hatred. I let him go and watched as he fell on a heap on the floor. I glared again at Evra while I made my exit, someone else could grab my stuff I just had to get out before I did something I would regret. I noticed quite a large crowd had gathered outside I looked down and the floor and just marched on.

I heard Evra throw back the flaps of our once shared tent, "OI DARREN!" I stopped but didn't turn around. "You failed as a human, I hope I live long enough to see you fail as a vampire to." and again the laughter began, some of the crowd members gasped at how unnatural it really sounded, some even looked at me for a response. I clenched my fists, I was about to snap there was only so much I could hold back, the only reason I had managed to hold back from hitting him this long was the all too real knowledge of if I did snap and hit him there was a good chance I would kill him with one blow.

After realising I wasn't going to react or respond a few members of the crew stepped in and restrained Evra on the floor who was still laughing hysterically. I looked around the crowd a little some shook their heads at Evra, a few even came over to try and talk to me and make sure I was alright. One cirque performer two bellies came over to me "You know he didn't mean it Darren, Evra's just having a funny time right now." He tried his best to comfort me but I didn't want comforting or sympathy, I just wanted to get away from the area to be left alone. Eventually the laughter stopped. But I was gone by the time Evra was dragged to Mr. Tall.

After a short walk I was at my destination. I entered Mr. Crepsley's van and walked over to his coffin lid and lay a hand on it, a few stray tears where rolling down my cheek. The person I needed to talk to the most couldn't be there for me at the moment I needed him the most. I would have to wait at least half an hour before I could contemplate waking him up, but half an hour was to long I needed to talk now. "That's the second best friend I've lost now." I wrapped my arms around myself and turned away from the coffin, "Maybe I should try sleeping again?" but as I started walking away, a hand emerged from the slightly open lid and grabbed my hand. I jumped from the shock but realised it was just Mr. Crepsley, he must of heard me. I walked back and looked through the little gap left by the open lid. "Sorry I didn't mean to wake you." I looked at the floor trying to hold back tears. Then Mr. Crepsley did the one think I never thought was possible.

He sat up in his coffin using his lid to block the light coming from the small window, and with his free hand he lifted me up and placed me next to him in his coffin, I was speechless but after a while I nestled my face into his chest and held onto him for dear life as his red shirt soaked up my flowing tears. He was still holding the lid open but when he felt me relax he slowly closed it and surrounded us in complete darkness. Normally I would of freaked out but I think being with Mr. Crepsley helped, instead of fearing the darkness, I welcomed it. After the tears had stopped I just lay there, my head on his chest listening to his steady breathing and the thumping of his heart. I was completely relaxed.

"So what is going on? Who has upset you?" he sounded half asleep and I could tell he was desperately trying to stay awake so I could let out my anger and hurt. I was touched by this rare show of affection and told him everything, from arriving where we were, to the first conversation David and myself had, every last little detail until I got to the part where I entered his van.

"I see, it is unlike Evra to act in this way, maybe he has contracted something of his snake?" while he was talking he had moved around a bit and ended up resting one hand on my head and the other still holding my hand on his stomach. He gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "I am sure he did not mean it, and you two will be sharing a tent again with in the week." I instinctive started rubbing his hand I was holding with my thumb.

"He called me a little, weak, poor excuse of a vampire and started laughing at me, and... he mentioned my dad and me being human, he said I failed as a human and he wanted to watch me fail as a vampire." I felt Mr. Crepsley hold tighten on me like he was protecting me from what I was saying.

"Darren you most certainly did not fail as a human as I know you will not fail as a vampire. You have made me so proud over these past years, and I am honoured to be your mentor." Mr. Crepsley closed his arms around me and out of nowhere kissed me on the top of the head, It didn't shock me though, I was too happy in the knowledge that he was here for me when I needed him. I stopped crying and smiled into his chest, "Besides what does he know about vampires, if he had any sense he would not have tried to provoke you. You could of seriously injured him or killed him if you had of retaliated." He ruffled my hair and patted my hand. "Come now, it is 10 minutes pasted nightfall and we are in need of fresh blood today."

He opened the coffin lid and we both sat up and stretched, I jumped out of his coffin first and looked out the small window "I will have to talk to Mr. Tall tomorrow." I couldn't get over how much like Mr. Crepsley I just sounded.

"Oh and why is that, I am positive he is aware you are no longer willing to share a tent with Evra." He had taken off his tear soaked shirt and was currently rummaging through his collection of bags for another.

"There in the grey coloured bag, next to the black one." He smiled his thanks and signalled for me to continue, "Anyway it's not like I can stay here with you in the van. It's far too small for my hammock and your coffin and it isn't like we can share a coffin as I'm up during the day and you're fast asleep." I looked over to him expecting some witty comment or agreement but all I saw was a disappointed look on his face. I didn't want to ruin the good run we were having so far, I started thinking really rapidly. *PING* I had the solution, "That is of course you don't mind moving to a bigger van where there would be enough room for the both of us." I walked over to the door and started opening it. "I know you don't make decisions hastily, so just let me know when you've thought about it if it's ok with you or not." I turned towards him and gave him a loving smile and walked out of the door leaving him standing there, mouth wide open completely stunned.

That night, after Mr. Crepsley had gotten over the shock at what just happened, we wondered round the camp saying good night to people who was just turning in. We also went and found Alice, one of the human helpers, who had agreed to 'donate' some of her blood to myself and Mr. Crepsley when we were too far away from civilization and blood was in short supply. Luckily we found her just before she was about to jump in bed, "You boys need a top up?" She smiled sweetly at us and invited us into her tent; she sat down and presented her arm. We drank our fill, thanked her for her kind 'donation' and left her to sleep. I was very reluctant to drink from Alice when I was first told we would be drinking from her, but understood she was doing this to help us and I never had a problem with it since.

When everything was deadly silent apart from the odd crackle from the open fire, and the sound of the water in the distance, we were sitting by the fire when the noise reached my ears the way it did when we first came to this camp site, I looked in it's the direction,

"It's the sea; we are about a mile off the coast line."

"Wow all this time and I didn't even notice, if I had of known sooner me and Evra could…" I stopped mid-sentence remembering we wasn't friends anymore and sighed heavily. Mr. Crepsley could tell I was hurting and got up. "Come on, stand up." He held his hand out to me, I took hold of it curiously, wondering what he was going to do, he turned his back to me, "Hop on" I again followed his orders and hopped onto his back and asked. "Where are we going?" my only reply "you will see." Then boom, we were off flitting to the direction of the sea, leaving a sleeping camp and a now unlit camp fire behind.


	3. Beside The Seaside

**Chapter 3 (Beside the sea side)**

Today's events seemed nothing but a distant memory now. Evra's words no longer bombarded my ever thought, the hurt had all gone away, thanks to one man, who opened up to me and showed me his caring and understanding side. All he did was listen and it all went away, now I'm riding on his back, flitting. I wasn't paying attention to the sights; I was just enjoying the closeness. I lent my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes.

"Darren?" he shock me gently, "We are here." He let me down off his back slowly. Rubbing my eyes free from sleep, "where is here exactly?"

"We are at the beach." He pointed out to the sea shimmering in the moon light. I was speechless "Why did you bring me here?" I didn't mean to say it in a nasty or hurtful way it just came out. Mr. Crepsley rubbed his neck. "I thought you may of liked to of come here, I thought I was doing the right thing." He sighed miserably. I immediately clicked that my words where quite harsh. "NO; NO; NO… I didn't mean it like that honestly," I ran over to him and flung my arms around his waist. "I'm really grateful you've brought me here, really I am." Mr. Crepsley shuffled around a little uneasy about this 'public display'. When I noticed his discomfort I released him, "Sorry about that." I smiled apologetically at him, "I know you don't like public displays, you would of thought I would remember by now." He was about to say something when I ran off down the beach. "COME ON!" I shouted back at him. Mr. Crepsley just smiled,

"I HAVE TO ATLEAST GIVE YOU A HEAD START!"

I just laughed 'His miles behind, how in paradise is he going to catch…"

My thoughts where interrupted by a streak of red that had just zoomed past me, and there a few meters in front of me stood a very smug looking Mr. Crepsley, I stopped running and skidded through the sand, eventually stopping a few inches from him, I looked up at him and doubled over trying to catch my breath back. "That was… unfair… you cheated."

"No I did not," he placed a hand on my back and forced me to stand up straight so my lungs could hold more air in, "For one you did not inform me at the start we were going to race," he lifted my chin up so I could take in more air, "and secondly you never said anything against flitting." All I could do in reply was pop my tongue out at him and all he did was snigger, and sat down on a piece of beached drift wood, where he tapped a part of the log next to him where I came to join him. He ruffled my hair and placed his hand on my shoulder, and that is how we stayed for a good handful of hours. We watched the moon float across the star filled sky; and the sea role effortlessly across the sandy beach. It was enchanting and hypnotic all at once. The silence was finally broken by Mr. Crepsley's small voice.

"I remember the first time I came to the coast as a child. I was 7, my older twin brothers James and Joseph where both 11, and my younger sister Elizabeth was 4," I looked up at him in amazement, I was honoured he was searing part of his human life with me, "My Mother Anne, had brought a simple pick-nick with her, and My Father Richard, was fishing." He looked sadly down at the sand, obviously he was reopening memories which where long hidden away in the furthest part of his mind. I could see it was painful for him to remember his past human life, I felt sorry for him, I would talk about my human life to anyone, but Mr. Crepsley was a different story.

Something must have happened to him to make him want to forget his human life completely. I couldn't take seeing him this way. I got up brushing the small pieces of wood which had attached to my back side off, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Come on. We can have a trip down memory lane when you're good and ready, meanwhile I think we should try and find a bucket and spade, most parents make their kids leave them for other kids to use." He smiled, appreciating I wasn't going to rush him into telling me anything, as he was getting up and brushing himself down as I just did he asked, "Why do you need a bucket and space for?" I looked blankly at him and blinked a few times, "To build sand castles… Didn't you make sand castles when you came here?"

"No, we made sand mounds with our hands, but never castles." He started thinking, and I had a sneaky suspicion he thought we were going to make a full size castle made of sand. I almost burst out laughing at the image of Mr. Crepsley making a sand castle that big but I managed to hold in my giggles and walked off quickly.

After a small hunt we managed to find a pair of bucks and spades. I gave one of each to Mr. Crepsley who looked at them confused. I knelt down on the sand and signalled for him to join me. "Now you use your spade to fill up your bucket with sand." I showed him how to do it. Once the buckets where filled with sand I continued. "Now put your spade aside. Ok now grab both sides of your bucket and…" I tossed my bucket upside down with lightning speed and slammed it to the sandy ground. "See; now you do it." He gave me a blank look but as before did as I had done, he managed to toss it over quicker them me and slammed his bucket in the ground with some force, but smiled at his triumph. "Now grab your spade again, and gently tap the top of the bucket so no sand gets stuck, and gently lift your bucket up." I lifted the bucket and there standing proudly was my castle, and it looked pretty good. "Ta-da, your turn." And like before he did exactly the same as me. However when he came to tapping the bucket he smacked the space on it. One half of the spade went flying down the beach leaving the other half in Mr. Crepsley's hand, and as for the bucket a giant chunk was missing, bits of broken plastic littered around the castle.

We shared a surprised look at each other then, out of nowhere, we burst out laughing. "It now…looks more… like a ruin." Mr. Crepsley pointed out, which didn't help, it just made me laugh even more. "I've just…had a brilliant…idea." I said trying to get my breath back. I started making little mounds of sand to represent people from my Castle, and made it look as they had invaded Mr. Crepsley's castle. I was wiping the tears from my cheek, when Mr. Crepsley on his own accord, started making smaller mounds to represent the dead people from his castle. When we had pulled ourselves together, we stood and had a good look at our sand castle war scene.

"Very good…Very realistic." Mr. Crepsley said slapping me on the back.

"Yes it does look rather good, if I do say so myself." And I in return slapped him on the back and looked up at him. "You know what?"

"What?"

"I'm really glad I came with you instead of Evra, I've had a really nice time."

And yet again for the second time that night I had left him shocked and speechless. "How long till dawn?" I asked looking up at the sky.

"Regrettably we must be leaving soon." He put his hand on my shoulder, "Come. I shall take us back to camp." And with that I took one last look at the sea and sand and one last look at mine and Mr. Crepsley's sand war, I smiled and jumped on his back and we flitted away.

A short time after we set off, we grinded to a halt. I looked over Mr. Crepsley's shoulder and there right in front of us was a half beaten and bloody body crawling toward us.


	4. Mayhem At The Cirque

**Chapter 4 (Mayhem at the cirque)**

It was Alice, the lovely women who would allow me and Mr. Crepsley to drink from her when we were too far from civilization to obtain fresh blood. There she was helpless on the floor. Her blond hair covered in her own ruby red blood, her left arm dragging along the floor lifeless next to her. I jumped off Mr. Crepsley's back and we both ran over to her. She struggled against us at first thinking we were her attackers come to finish her off, but when she realised who we where she cared down, she grabbed Mr. Crepsley's shirt and pulled him down so he could hear her final words. "Vamp…vampaneze…attacked camp…couldn't hold…them off." She looked at both of us with pain filled eyes, it was unbearable.

"Be still now you are safe, we will get you help." Mr. Crepsley tried to pick her up but she pushed him off. "It's too late…for me. Please… end this Larten." I didn't quite understand at first, I thought she was telling Mr. Crepsley to end the violence at the cirque, but when I saw him nod and make a small cut on her neck then clamp his mouth around it, it all became clear. I didn't say anything I knew she was in pain and that she was very close with Mr. Crepsley. I never really did find out if it was strictly a friendship or something more, I guess I would never find out now.

In the night silence you heard one more last breath come from Alice and with that she was gone. Mr. Crepsley closed her eyes and placed her under an old oak tree, she seemed at peace now, out of pain. "We will return for her body when we have disposed of those scum vampaneze." And he marched towards camp. I took one last sad look at Alice "Thank you for everything."

We reached the outskirts of camp, and hid behind the giant trees surrounding it. It was far too risky to attempt to reach Mr. Crepsley's van and collect some weapons, we would surely be seen. "What about David's tent, it's full of swords and throwing starts." I whispered into Mr. Crepsley's ear making sure only he would hear. "I do not like the idea of stealing… but I guess we have no chose." And with that, he led the way around camp to where David's tent was. However it seemed the luck of the vampires was not working in our favour tonight.

David was standing outside his tent, 2 swords strapped to his back, only the Gods knew how many throwing stars he had attached to his belt, and in his hands a bow with a collection of arrows to the side of him. "Come on now; just move out of the way. All we want is what's rightfully ours human." As that voice hit my ears my insides froze, "I know that voice." I stared over to Mr. Crepsley who put his finger to his lips to tell me to be quiet. "You seem to have journeyed all this way for nothing. You see nothing here is rightfully yours and if you dare take a step closer I will kill you. " David threatened, and drew back his bow string aiming for the hooded assailant's heart. "Now you see, from what I've heard, your pretty dame hard to kill, you could say people have been trying for an eternity. I'm going to enjoy testing that rumour." The assailant just smiled and whispered into the ear of the vampaneze to his right who signalled his men to advance on the tent. "Wither I kill you now or later it doesn't really matter, I'm still getting that pine box." Reality hit me with so much force I almost fell back, Mr. Crepsley had to catch me and drag me over to him. "What is wrong with you; you could of blown our cover!" he was whispering but I could tell he was angry.

"Mr. Crepsley I know that voice, when I first heard it I couldn't place it but I know who it is… its Steve." Mr. Crepsley said nothing the look on his face said everything, he was pissed no other word could describe it. "Darren you need to sneak to my van and get my chest from under my coffin." I looked blankly at him and in return he poked me. "Do you understand Darren?" he said angrily.

"Yes, chest under coffin got it." And with that I ran off silently leaving Mr. Crepsley and David behind.

Surprisingly there was no vampaneze anywhere else around the camp. All the other cirque performers didn't seem to know what was going on. I would have told them but I didn't want to blow my cover and continued to Mr. Crepsley's van. I was trying to be as sneaky as I possibly could; I was dashing behind tents and under vans until I reached Mr. Crepsley's. I looked around to make sure the way was clear, and then made a frantic dash for the door. I dived through into the darkness and kicking the door closed behind me. not the smartest of moves I stayed very still and very quiet and when I believed I hadn't been heard or found out I completed my mission. I crawled under Mr. Crepsley's coffin and found his weapons chest. It was red with funny makings on the sides, but I didn't have time to be admiring the chest I had to get a move on, no telling how far away dawn was now. I grabbed the chest and headed out of the door and started my long mission back to Mr. Crepsley.

After 10 minutes of sneaking around, I reached Mr. Crepsley who hadn't moved an inch. I handed Mr. Crepsley his chest, and took a sneaky look over to David's tent, I was overcome with shock. "How in paradises name had he managed that?" Mr. Crepsley tapped my shoulder and I turned to see what he wanted. "There is a lot about David you do not know Darren." He said passing me his clock. Then he carried on emptying his chest.

David had managed to kill 6 vampaneze whilst I was gone, their bodies surrounding his tent. I noticed 4 had throwing stars lodged in their chests, 1 had an arrow implanted in his head, and the final 1's head was missing… ouch I was snapped out of my amazement by Mr. Crepsley thrusting 2 short bladed swords into my hands. "Do not move from this spot. And only use these if 100% necessary." I was about to complain, how was I supposed to just sit here and watch Mr. Crepsley and David fight, but before I could even open my mouth he kissed me on the forehead, pointed to the ground where I was, like I was a dog being commanded to stay, and he ran off to potion himself behind, I decided not to follow him, I couldn't fight with my fists let alone with a sword, so I watched from behind the safety of the tree.

David had loaded 2 more arrows in his bow and sent them flying into the sky. All the vampaneze laughed and took one step closer, a very foolish mistake. As they got closer to David the arrows he sent soaring into the sky came plummeting down to earth, smack bang on the centre of the 2 closest vampaneze. There lifeless bodies fell in heaps on the floor. By which time David had already loaded 2 more arrows in his bow. 'Clap…clap…clap', "Very impressive. If you don't have to kill you I might have hire you for my personal entertainment." I looked over to Steve and noticed he was standing in the middle of a crowd of vampaneze, the coward. "Why not come here and say that, instead of hiding like a child." David gave a daring smile hoping to anger him so he stepped closer to him. "Oh please I'm not that stupid. If I come anywhere near you I'm as good as dead. Nooo thank you."

"Arr, what a pity, I was so looking forward to wetting my blade with your blood. Some other time then."

"What, when you come seeking revenge because I've stolen your beloved pine."

"And how do you plan on getting it, you or any of your 'men' come within a meter of my tent and your dead, simple. So you might as well leave."

"Know you see, I can't do that. My master really wants it, to me it's just a box full of some guys stuff, but to him, it's so much more."

"ENOUGH!" David pulled back on his bow string and sent 2 more arrows into the hearts of the vampaneze either side of Steve. That's when all-out war started.

"Do whatever you need to just kill him! And take his stupid box by force!" with Steve's orders implanted in the minds of all the vampaneze, that charged straight for David, he didn't even seem a little worried, he just dropped his bow on the ground, drew his 2 swords and readied himself for attack. Steve was only protected by 4 vampaneze now, but you could tell they were itching to get into the fight, "For Gods sakes just go." Steve instructed, "But my lord who will protect you?" a young vampaneze looked up at him. "Oh please, Creepy Crepsley isn't even here, Darren is probably tied to his waist, and the other freaks are being watched by our inside man, so who is going to attack me really. Now get out of my site and bring me that dammed box." With that said the 4 remanding joined in the blood bath.

David was doing really well, he didn't look like he had a scratch on him, but I wasn't surprised the speed in which he moved his swords where unbelievable. I was finding it hard to keep up with him and I was a half vampire, how would a human manage? Hold on if he can move quicker than me and his not a vampire. What is he? My thoughts where interrupted by a detached head rolling next to me and hitting my foot. I think I'm going to be sick I kicked the head away as quickly as possible and put my attention back to the fight at hand. David was slicing through the vampaneze like they were made of wet paper, but where was Mr. Crepsley?

Steve was watching with horror plastered all over his face, as David mowed through the waves of vampaneze with very little effort, until only 3 remained. That's when Mr. Crepsley made his move. Jumping from behind a bush covered in blood, he sprinted over to Steve, clamped his hand around Steve's mouth, and knocked him out cold with his breath. Once he made sure he wasn't going to wake up for a while, he threw him up a tree. David had noticed what Mr. Crepsley had done and finished the remaining vampaneze off with his throwing stars like it was child's play. "Took your sweet time didn't you Larten?" David laughed, bent down and cleaned his blood soaked swords off on a dead vampaneze. "You cannot rush perfection David; I ran into the reinforcements. I hate it when there is something that repulsive getting in my way." He slapped David on the back victoriously, and then looked around.

"Wait until vampire council hear about this, there shall be hell to pay, I will make sure of it." Mr. Crepsley looked back at David who gave him a sheepish smile. "Don't be silly, the last thing you need is all the questions this would be brought up. If the council wish to start poking their noses into this business; just say I killed them all, and that you had nothing to do with it." David was still pleading with Mr. Crepsley to keep out of it while he collected all his throwing stars back, occasionally curing when one had gone blunt or worse broken on impact.

Mr. Crepsley just shook his head at the curing David and started walking over to my hiding place and noticed I was just standing there, not blinking. Did they plan this all along? When I heard Mr. Crepsley shout my name I slowly walked out into the open looked at all the dead bodies littering the area and throw up. Mr. Crepsley rolled his eyes and laughed but rubbed my back.

"First time on the battle field?" David asked, I looked over at him just in time to see him dislodge an arrow out of a dead vampaneze eye, and I throw up again.

"He is young and not yet had to go into battle. It is the mixture of dead bodies and the over welling stench of the vampaneze discussing blood." Mr. Crepsley spat when he said there name, as did most of the older vampires I had met.

"Well hopefully he won't have to experience any more, even in his long life time, it's never a nice business really. I am however extremely grateful I don't have your sense of smell." Mr. Crepsley just laughed, he must have been through many wars, I know he was alive during both world wars, maybe that's why his use to it.

"Well you are more than welcome to rest a while in my tent; once you have stopped throwing up you can come in to Darren." Both Mr. Crepsley and David started laughing and left me outside. "Thanks a lot guys, I'm fine really you go on and rest up, just leave me out here with all the dead bodies, that's fine." I muttered to myself slight uneasy. "Come on Darren, they're only dead bodies, you use to see tons of dead bodies in your video games, what's so different." I stood up, wiped my mouth, looked in the direction of David's tent, and ran for my life.

I was standing in the doorway of David's tent, forcing myself not to look back outside. I couldn't see Mr. Crepsley or David at first. "Larten, help me lift this." It was David's voice, I just couldn't see him. I walked into the middle of the tent just in time to see the last of Mr. Crepsley's red cape vanish behind a wooded screen. I walked over to it slowly not sure if I should go behind it or not. *smack* I rubbed my head and yelped out in pain. I looked around the floor to see what had just hit me on the head and noticed a fist size piece of rock lying on the floor. I frowned at it accusingly then looked back at the wooden screen again rubbing my head. I walked over and vanished behind it hoping to find where it was thrown from.

Mr. Crepsley and David where struggling to lift a broken lid off what looked like a silver coffin, "Darren, grab that end." David ordered, sounding out of breath, I stood there for a time confused at what I had just walked into but David snapping his orders at me again brought me back round. Without any questions I jumped to where I was ordered and helped as much as I could with this rock. With me helping we just about managed to move it just enough to be able to see inside. David let out a sigh of relief and smiled over at myself and Mr. Crepsley to show everything was ok. I stood there even more confused than before and with twice the amount of questions.

David looked into the silver coffin again and placed a large sheet over it when he was confident everything was alright. He walked over to us and I could have sworn he looked like he had aged with worry. Whatever or whoever was in there must be very important to him. He ushered us back into the main section of his tent and flopped down on his chair. "Well that was the single scariest time of my life." He laughed at my confused face but didn't offer any answers.

Once we was all sat drinking blood David had offered, he and Mr. Crepsley started talking about the battle they just had, laughing and joking like war was an everyday occurrence to them and I didn't like it. I knew the vampaneze was our enemies but it still wasn't right to make a joke of death, but there again maybe it was a way of dealing with it. I hoped I would never have to find out personally either way. I looked around the tent not really paying attention to the conversation; I was admiring a strange painting but an artist I had never heard of when something occurred to me. "Why didn't any of the other performers come and help you?" I was still looking at the painting and not really aware I had asked the question out loud until Mr. Crepsley replied.

"I truly do not know, perhaps Mr. Tall kept the other performers away for their own safety." Mr. Crepsley looked at David who was sat puzzling over something.

"They have someone on the inside who must have known about the coffin." David gave us both a worried look.

"But who would do such a thing; we are all a close family here, why would one of our own betray us?" I could tell Mr. Crepsley was hurt at the thought, I knew how much the Cirque meant to him.

"I know it's hard to take in but that's what their leader said, that their inside man was keeping an eye on everyone making sure they didn't intervene."

"I do not trust anything that comes out of that Steve's horrid mouth, he would lie and cheat anyone, and it would not surprise me if he just made it up to worry us." As much as Mr. Crepsley was trying to believe what he was saying, I knew he had his doubts.

"Well that maybe but we need to make 100% sure, I don't like the thought of someone in the family being a rat to the vampaneze but it could be a possibility. So have either one of you heard anyone mentioning anything about the coffin or acting strange." We all stopped to have a think, Mr. Crepsley didn't really interact with many people considering he was only up and about during the night, but he was able to tap into the memories of Alice and see if she had heard anything but nothing came up.

After a while of thinking my face went pail, who out of everyone had been acting the strangest, running around hiding under vans, avoiding David at all cost and wanting to break into his tent to see what was in a crate. "Evra." I whispered.

David looked over to me not quite sure what I had said, "Did you say something Darren?"

"Evra; Evra has been acting strange the past couple of weeks; it only became really noticeable when we first came here to this clearing. He was avoiding you at all cost and he was planning to break into your tent to see what was in the crate we carried in here, then we had our 'fight'." I had a horrible feeling in my stomach, I could have been laughing and joking with a vampaneze spy for ages and not even realised.


	5. Truth Be Told

**Chapter 5 (Truth be told)**

"If that is true, how would Evra know who Steve was and how to contact him?" asked Mr. Crepsley looking at me trying to find a way to comfort me.

"I had his old address and mobile number in my diary; he could have gotten it from there." Tears where rolling down my cheek, I felt hurt, used and angry.

Mr. Crepsley sat there a while feeling slightly awkward, he swallowed hard and walked over to where I was sitting on the floor and knelt down next to me. He wrapped his long arms around me and stroked my head telling me everything would be alright.

I felt better after a while and smiled up at him to show I was ok, I knew he felt uncomfortable, as much as I knew he wanted to comfort me his strict view on public displays was getting in the way. I wiped my eyes and laughed trying to break the tension. I cleared my throat and patted Mr. Crepsley on the arm, my way of telling him it was ok to go and sit back down. He patted me on the back, smiled then returned to the chair. I could see David was smiling, he had known Mr. Crepsley for a VERY long time from what I could tell, but I don't even think he had even seen him do anything quite so affectionate.

After a while of silence Mr. Crepsley and David started talking times long since past. I stood up from the floor and stretched, I had been sitting for a few hours and I had pins and needles all up my legs. I walked over to the door way of David's tent and left unnoticed. It was sunny outside, birds where chirping in the trees. I walked around the outside of the tent, not really noticing the dead bodies now, besides the little people had collected most of them up, probably to eat, I assumed the blood of vampaneze didn't affect them at all, which got me thinking maybe they can eat vampires to and I shuddered at the thought.

I walked around aimlessly for a while until I stumbled across the box I had to get from Mr. Crepsley's van. I checked to see if his cloak was still in one piece, I picked up the box and tucked it under my arm and glanced over my shoulder, that's when I saw it.

Evra was climbing down a tree, with Steve draped over his shoulder. My eyes where wide open with shock, I couldn't move, I couldn't speak all I could do was watch in horror, as my ex best friend help my old best friend and enemy. shout for Mr. Crepsley for the Gods sake! He's going to get away! As much as my mind screamed at me, I just couldn't move, I opened my mouth to speak but only whimpers came out.

Evra was on the ground now, he placed Steve up against the tree and checked to make sure he was still alive, he back was towards me, he didn't even notice I was watching him, STOP HIM YOU BLOODY FOOL! My mind was in the right place, it would only take a few seconds for me to run over there and stop him. My mind had the right idea, but I just couldn't move, I have no control over my body at all, the scene playing out in front of my was more than I could take. Then Evra turned around.

He didn't notice me at first, but when he did. We looked at each other dead in the eyes; neither of us moved a muscle. Evra seemed as shocked I was, I took one step forwards, and Evra took one step back, he looked sad and full of regret, I reached a hand out even though I was too far away to reach him. Evra looked down at Steve then back at me, an evil smile spread across his face, and with that he spun on his heels, grabbed Steve and disappearing behind the bushed, running as fast as he could.

I probably would have stayed there glued to the spot if not for David knocking me back to reality. "Larten is using one of the spare coffins I carry around, I've put one out for you to, it's been a long day." David was smiling at me then he noticed the look on my face. "Darren, are you alright?"

Without me even noticing I was talking I told him what had just happened about 15 – 20 minutes ago, as I told the tail his face grew darker and darker. "We thought we could leave him in that blasted tree for at least another few hours, we didn't want to draw any attention to ourselves when the time came to take him down. Dame that Evra, when I get my hands on him I'm going to ring his neck. Larten is going to flip when he finds out." David let out a small nervous laugh; no one liked the idea of having to give Mr. Crepsley bad news.

"Ye, and I don't think he is going to be very impressed when I tell him I didn't do anything to stop them." I looked down at the ground; I imagined Mr. Crepsley yelling telling me I had let him down.

"Hay now, stop sounding like it's your entire fault."

"It is all my fault, if I had of stopped them…"

"And how would you of done that, you're not a fighter and you're certainly not a killer. Even if you were either do you really think you could have stopped or killed Evra, he was your closest friend no less than a day ago?" He placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed it gently. I didn't say anything else I couldn't see the point, all I could do now was try get some sleep and face Mr. Crepsley when he woke up.

After hours of dreamless sleep, I woke up, I felt a little better but I was starving, I had drank a fair amount of blood during the past day but I hadn't really eaten any real food. I brought my hands up to my eyes and rubbed the sleep out of them, I opened my coffin lid with a yawn, and propped myself up with my free arm and looked around, I noticed the coffin Mr. Crepsley had used had its lid off so I knew he was up and about and my stomach tied in knots. I sighed and jumped out onto the hard floor.

I walked out into the main area of the tent excepting Mr. Crepsley to be sitting there waiting for me to get up so he could tell me how much of a disappointment I was but no one was there. I guessed the God's were on my side tonight, I grabbed some fruit from a bowl in the middle of the room and had a sly peak outside to see if they were helping clean away the bodies. I could see David and Mr. Crepsley outside standing by the tree Steve had been thrown up into, Mr. Crepsley looked mad but I could tell David was trying to calm him. I swallowed hard, seeing Mr. Crepsley storming about didn't really make me want to go out there and talk with him, so against my better judgment I sat down in one of the comfortable chairs and ate my fruit.

I was looking at the strange paints that filled David's tent walls when something caught my eye, something was moving in the corner of the tent, behind the wooden screen where the silver coffin was located. I gulped loudly and just stayed still, maybe I should go and get David; whatever was in that coffin maybe up and about. I slowly stood up from the chair and was about to make my way out of the tent when I stopped dead in my tracks. For some unknown reason I had started making my way to the wooden screen the one place I didn't want to go.

I reached out for the curtain…Slowly I pulled it back…and to my horror, nothing was there, the room was completely empty, apart from the silver coffin, which looked untouched . I looked around one last time, when I decided nothing was there I turned to leave, and got the shock of my life.

Once I turned I was face to face with a dark hooded person, same height as me, wearing a black cloak which draped over its body covering everything. I had frozen with fear. "What do you think you are doing?" It asked me, I was so scared I didn't even notice it was a female voice. "I will ask one more time." She grabbed me round the throat and lifted me off the ground a couple of inches. "What are you doing here?"

"M…my name I…is Darren." She let me go and I fell to the floor. She leant over me and held my chin in her hand. "That's not what I asked."

"I erm… I'm a friend of David's." at the mention of David's name she let my chin go and huffed.

"How do you know David?" she asked and when I didn't answer she tried grabbing my chin again but I used my vampiric speed to move out of the way of her cold fingers. I couldn't see her face but I could tell she was a little shocked at my speed.

"He works here." I was trying to make out her face, but the hood was covering her far too well, it was like looking into a black hole.

"And where exactly is here Darren?" she asked straightening out

"Cirque Du Freaks." I said forcefully and stood up.

"See that wasn't so hard now was it." She blew me a kissed, turned on her heels, walked into the main section of the tent and removed her hood.

I stared at her, she was breath taking, her hair was Fire red and her skin as white as snow. "Waw" I whispered to myself

"Just so you know, I have incredible hearing," she turned and sat down in a chair right in front of me, she looked me up and down, "Are you going to stand there all night?" I just stood there not really hearing what she was saying, she giggled and my heart melted. She tapped the arm on the chair next to her. I tried to walk as cool as possible but ended up tripping over my own feet right in front of her, I was falling fast and before I could do anything I fell on top of her.

The chair she was sitting on fell back and I ended up in between her legs with my right hand on her breast. I looked wide eyed at her, then to my hand, then back at her, then I noticed she had fire red eyes as well, I was lost in her eyes so much I forgot the position I had landed us in. I expected a slap but she just stared back into mine. Finally she blinked looked at the position we was in and laughed. I gave her a confused smile, still completely forgetting about my hand.

"You know, I've never meet a person like you before." She laughed even harder,

I suddenly remembered what was going on and I jumped six foot in the air diving away from her. "I am so; SO sorry." I ran over to help her up and put the chair back in its original place. We stood in front of each other, she put a hand on my shoulder, leaned into me, and she moved her hand to my cheek and whispered in my ear. "You're new to this game aren't you?"

I just nodded in reply, I only just meet her and I wanted to kiss her so badly!

She moved her hand off my check and returned to her seat,

"Shall we try again?" she once again tapped the arm of the chair next to her.

We sat next to each other talking for hours, she was amazing and enchanting, we talked about our lives, she didn't know I was a vampire but I guessed with her rather quickly which impressed her.

"You were lucky, normally I would have killed you from the start but I was still tied." She announced in a matter-of-fact way

"Oh...Well remind me not to wake you up in the middle of the day?" We both laughed.

"So how did you guess I was a vampire so quickly anyway?" She looked over to me but I avoided looking back.

"I could smell your vampiric blood."

"Oh…HAY!" she seemed angry but all I could do was laugh.

"Calm down I didn't say you stunk did I?"

"So what does a vampire smell like them?" She seemed really interested in how I managed to guess which was a little odd to me.

I cleared my throat. "Well it's hard to explain, vampires like me and Mr. Crepsley, my maker, they are pretty much the same because it's his blood in me making me a half vampire. All vampires blood smell similar but with a slight difference depending on who blooded them. Vampaneze smell like your swimming in blood, it's overwhelming and can be sickly sweet. Then there are vampires like you I instinctively know you're a vampire and your smell is very similar to mine but … different." I laughed at her blank face I could tell I had just confused her rather than answer her question.

Time was flying by and I had forgotten everything about Evra and Steve. I was all wrapped up in this amazing girl. "Come on anyway, you need to show me around, I don't even know where I am apart from its call the Cirque Du Freak." She grabbed my hand and jumped from her chair and raced to the door, I stopped dead in my tracks and pointed to her back trying to talk.

"Darren, what's up?" she looked back and noticed I was pointing at her back. In lightning speed she spun around so we were face to face. "WHAT WAS THAT?" I didn't mean to shout at her I was just freaked out.

"Don't yell at me, you'll hurt my ears!" she crossed her arms across her chest and looked daggers at me.

"What was that attached to your back?"

"My wings, why you got a problem?"

"Wings?" I was trying to get a second look but she kept moving so I couldn't see.

"Yes wings." She put a hand on my chest to stop me from moving.

"How do you have wings?"

"Well if you must know. I'm a vampire bat. The first female vampire bat I might add."

"How is this possible?" I sank to the floor.

"Calm down I can put them away if there freaking you out." She moved her back in all kinds of ways, "Ta-da" she turned her back to me and they were gone. I scuffled back.

"How did you do that? Where did they go?" I was amazed and freaked out all at the same time.

"Because I'm clever that's how. Now are you going to show me around or are you going to stay freaked out for the remainder of this lovely night?" she offered me a hand and I noticed the little scars on her fingertips. YES SCORE ONE FOR DARREN! I could finally have a girlfriend who I wouldn't have to hide anything from YES! I grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the tent to start the tour.

The tour was going grate, that is until she fell into my back and we both ended up on the floor, "Are you ok?" I was really worried.

"Ye I'm fine I just need some food, I've been in that 'tomb' for way to long." She sat up and crossed her legs.

"Stay here I'll go get you some." And I was off running franticly around trying to find some food. Not too long after I had gone I came back a thrust an apple under her nose.

"Erm Darren, that's really sweet and all but I need blood not an apple, I can't eat normal food."

"Oh… I'll go get you some blood then." And I was off again. I ran into Mr. Crepsley's tent rummaged through every bag until I found 2 vials of blood and ran back.

"Here you go." I uncorked the vial and passed it to her.

"Thank you." She smiled sweetly at me, I was so distracted by her I missed my mouth completely and spilt my vial of blood down my chin, which of course made her laugh. I tried cleaning myself up as best I could.

"You missed a bit." She pointed out to me

"Where?" I said doing the typical trying to look at your own face move.

"Come here." I knelt down beside her; she wiped it off with her finger and stuck it in her mouth wiping the blood off.

We stared at each other for ages. Even though we had just meet I would of given anything up just for her, I NEVER felt this way about Debbie all those years ago. She was a rare female vampire, ye ok a vampire bat but who cared, she looked my age she was my height it was a match made in paradise. I would soon realise how much trouble she was going to be.

We stud up and dusted ourselves off, "Well thanks again." She said passing me back the empty vial. We started walking back to David's tent, when she held my hand, I couldn't believe this, we only meet that night and well we had already shared a few experiences *wink; wink* I tried not to look down at our joined hands but I couldn't help it and it brought a big smile to my face.

"Do you want to go for a ride?" she asked biting her bottom lip nervously.

"Pardon?" I gave her a confused look.

"Do you want to go for a ride?" she asked more loudly making sure I heard her.

"On what?" I asked stupidly. Then I noticed her wings open up.

"You're joking right." I was scared now.

"No I'm not joking. Do you or not?" she smiled at me trying to settle my nerves.

"I don't know is it saf…" I didn't even get chance to finish my sentence she had jumped in front of my grabbed me in a hugging position and shot off into the sky.

I tried my best not to scream, I had to look manly if I was going to impress her. The sound of her wings flapping was extremely quiet. She landed us onto of an old oak tree just outside camp, "Pretty cool ye?" She smiled at me she let me go so I could look around. "Waw that was amazing." She blushed and looked down. I could see for miles, I turned to look at her again and noticed she was gone. I looked around franticly for her hoping she hadn't just left me here.

"Darren, I'm down here." She was on the ground looking at the base of the tree.

"What's up?" I was half way down the tree and decided just to jump. I landed next to her and noticed she was staring at a dead body of Alice. My happiness faded away, I walked over to her forgotten dead body and picked her up. "We need to take her back."

"Who is she?" she smelt one of her wounds and frond, "She was attacked by the vampaneze that's for sure." She looked around the area for danger.

"Can you carry us back?"

"No, my max is 1 person anymore I wouldn't be able to take off."

"Well can you carry her back and I'll run after you on foot?"

She looked at me, about to question me, but when she noticed this person must have meant something to me she took her body and took off, with one big flap of her wings they were thrust into the air. She stayed there a little while I started running, then she was flying above me.

She landed next to David's tent, and I soon ran into view. She had placed Alice's body on the ground, and was moving her stray red strands of hair out of her face. I ran up next to her where we both stood staring at Alice's body, when out in the distance,

"DARREN! DARREN! WHERE ARE YOU!" it was Mr. Crepsley

I ran over in his direction and waved him down. When his eyes made contact with me, he stormed over to where I was standing, with a bright red face, "And where have you been. I have been looking everywhere for you. Have you seen the mess you have left my van in, and why have 2 of my vials of blood gone?" I couldn't remember anything he had just asked he ran it all off so quickly, so I just pointed to Alice's body and he immediately understood.


	6. True Colours

**Chapter 6 (What's your name and history?)**

We decided to bury Alice by the oak tree where we had found her; the burial was quick and relatively painless. We hadn't told any of the other performers; we hadn't even spoken too many of them since the Vampaneze attacked. Mr. Crepsley had told me on the way to bury Alice that Mr. Tall had been to see him, he was aware of what had happened but as we all know he wasn't allowed to intervene with destiny. Alice had been beaten just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but it was 'destined' to happen. I wasn't too happy at first and for the first time ever I felt anger towards Mr. Tall, Alice was one of his helpers, so why didn't he save her, but when it came to Mr. Tall I knew deep down if he could have helped he would of.

We headed back for camp in silence, we didn't really say much, I knew Alice's memories were most likely running around in Mr. Crepsley's head just like Sam's did during the week of me draining him and absorbing part of his soul. It was oddly relaxing walking back to David's tent, the walk was silent but the trees around us were alive with birds singing and in the distance you could still hear the sea, we entered the clearing where David's tent was situated, it was alive with shouts and we made our way slowly to the entrance.

"I'VE ALREADY TOLD YOU RED. I DON'T KNOW HOW IT BROKE!" It was David; we had left him and the girl who I now know was named Red behind while we buried Alice. David didn't know her very well and said it would be wrong of him to come.

"I COULD HAVE DIED, YOU FOOL!" Red screamed and stormed out into the main part of the tent where she slouched into a chair and crossed her arms in frustration, she was closely followed by a red faced David.

"I AM YOUR GUARDIEN YOU UNGRATEFULL CHILD! LEARN SOME RESPECT!" Mr. Crepsley and I just watched in silence unnoticed. We shared the same look of 'should we leave?'

"YOU JUST HIT THE NAIL RIGHT ON THE HEAD, MY GUARDIEN, MY PROTECTER, AND YET YOU LET THE LID BREAK!" Red was standing up again, yelling into David's face, I could never imagine myself and Mr. Crepsley having an argument like this. We had fallen out a few times but I never got to the point of screaming at each other.

The argument continued until Mr. Crepsley cleared his throat. David went red with embarrassment but Red just huffed, glared at Mr. Crepsley and stormed out of the tent muttering under her breath. It was amazing the change she had gone through, I would never have guessed that was the same girl I was with earlier.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. She is quite a handful when she doesn't get her own way." David smiled apologetically and offered us a chair. "How was the burial?"

"It was adequate, she would have been pleased." Mr. Crepsley said while getting out the dirt from underneath his fingernails.

"Darren, do you mind if I ask a favour from you?" David smiled at me

"Ye sure."

"Can you go and find Red for me and just make sure she isn't getting into any trouble."

I looked over to Mr. Crepsley silently asking his permission to leave, he just nodded and I left. I thought he would just let her blow off steam without getting me involved, but he probably needed to talk to Mr. Crepsley alone… I never understand why grownups do that, I'm not a kid I can handle what they had to say. I even thought of sneaking back to ease drop on their conversation but I knew if Mr. Crepsley caught me I would be in a whole new world of trouble, and I didn't want Mr .Crepsley or David thinking I was nothing but a sneak so I decided against it and continued my hunt for Red.

I searched everywhere but couldn't find hide or hair of her. She had just vanished, I was beginning to worry, when I heard a faint flapping in the distance, I looked up and low and behold there she was doing loops in the sky, she must of noticed my, because she swooped down and landed on a dead tree stump in front of my.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Did HE send you to look after me now?"

"Yes he wanted to make sure you were ok, and I wanted to see you as well." Smiling I took one step closer to her.

"How sweet but you can tell him I'm not interested." She jumped off the stump and started walking off towards the trees. I ran after her not really sure what else to do, when I reached her I just walked next to her in an awkward silence, she wasn't the nicest person to be around when she was mad. I watched as an owl flying effortless through the trees when Red started talking and scared the owl away.

"I mean come on who does he think he is. His task in life is to protect me and he couldn't even do that right. 300 years I've been under his care and he almost got me killed." She continued to rant but I couldn't hear any of it. "Don't you think I'm right Darren?"

I looked at her blankly and all I could say was "300 years? How old are you?" she huffed at me just like she had done to Mr. Crepsley in the tent and started ranting about how men don't listening, how no one understanding her, it sounded a lot like the phone conversations my mom would have with my aunty when my dad had annoyed her.

I just listened to her rant until she had to take a breath then stepped in before she could start up again. "If he has been looking after you the past 300 years and this is the only time something has happened, don't you think that's still pretty good?" I asked sheepishly hoping to make some sense to her. I was expecting a fight but she just sighed defeated and slid down a tree and sat on the floor.

"You don't understand Darren, I'm important, I'm the last full blooded vampire bat, and my blood isn't tainted like the others." She souled as she mention 'The others' "I must start a whole new race of pure blooded vampire bats and make sure it stays pure blooded." I didn't like the way she was talking about pure bloods and making it seem like everyone else was just dirt.

"I'm not a fall vampire do you not like me either?" I was emotionless asking the question I felt like she was insulting my race and I would have to defend it if she was.

"You're different Darren, you're from a different race you will never have pure bloods. Maybe you did when your race first came into being but now your blood is mixed in with human blood, it is inevitable that you don't have pure bloods, but my race should, humans are food not something we can change to mimic us when it is convenient. Our rules should be pure bloods not tainted by human filth." She was going to continue but I had heard enough.

"Now look I didn't like where this is leading. Our rules, our princes are not 'pure bloods' they were all once human as were the rest of us, and I would appreciate if you kept your narrow mindedness to yourself. If Mr. Crepsley ever heard you speak so disrespectfully about our clan he would be livid, more than I am, I assure you." I stood tall feeling proud with myself for sticking up for the clan. Red stayed sat on the floor the look of shock plastered all over her face with a little anger twisting in at the corner of her mouth. "I am not narrow minded. It is the way of my race, well it used to be, then they became weak and started mixing with them." She pointed back towards the cirque.

"You know nothing about those people, plus they are not here to defend themselves so do not bring them into this." I didn't know it had happened but we were right in each other's faces. We weren't shouting but speaking sharply to one another.

"Just because you say your special doesn't give you the right to go around slandering other races and clans that you know nothing about. Besides I'm guessing David was once human do you dislike his human side to?"

"To some degree yes I do, I'm a legacy a prodigy, the future of my entire race runs through my veins. I should be cared for by a pure blood not an immortal, today has just proven the fact. Under the watch of a pure blood my lid would not of broken and almost crush me." She sounded so high and mighty and it was making me feel sick.

"I hope you never rule over a clan if you are so full of yourself, one narrow minded vampire bat is enough. If there were more of them like you in the world may the gods help us all." I shot her one more look before walking away leaving her in the middle of the forest alone.

I huffed and puffed all the way back to David's tent, I stood outside the door taking deep breaths. I couldn't go in there all agitated and angry; Mr. Crepsley would notice straight off and I wouldn't be able to lie to him, he would see that straight off to. I silently cursed Mr. Crepsley for know me all too well. I couldn't believe how angry I was, the way she went on about mixing human blood was wrong, I think I was so angry because she hadn't just manage to offend my Vampire half but my human half as well. I started walking into the tent; I knew Mr. Crepsley was going to see I was angry no matter how long I spent out here trying to cool down. I lifted the flap of the tent and jumped 6 foot in the air.

"Darren, I was just on my way to find you." Mr. Crepsley stood right on the other side of the tent flap, with a little smirk just creeping over his mouth amused at my slight fright.

"Good Lord, don't do that, you almost gave me a heart attack then where would you be?" I held my chest feeling how fast my heart was beating but I had a sly smile to, it wasn't the first time Mr. Crepsley had managed to scare me just by standing still and it wouldn't be the last.

"Darren if you died of a heart attack I would be very surprised. I have never heard of a vampire or half vampire being scared to death."

"You have never been scared by you." I started laughing and was rewarded for my cheek with a clip round the head.

"Now Darren, David wished to speak with us and it is very important you listen." I instantly stopped laughing, something about the way he was talking to me felt wrong, but against my better judgement I followed Mr. Crepsley inside the tent.

"Did you manage to find Red?" Asked David without turning around from the table filled with fruit.

"Yes I did. Look am I in some sort of trouble?" I asked worried, I couldn't think why I would be but they were acting like how my mom and dad did when I was in trouble at home.

David just laughed and turned smiling at me. "No you're not in trouble, I just needed to talk to you, about Red." I sat down and remained silent while he spoke. "I'm guessing she had told you about herself and about her crusade to make her race pure." I huffed "Yes, she made her point of being special quite clear."

"What did she say to you?" I gave him a brief run down on the conversation we had, I tried to make it sound not as bad as it did for Mr. Crepsley's sake, the last thing we needed was him going off on one, but remarkably he rained silent sitting in the corner watching as dusk darkened the sky.

"Yes, she has a horrid habit of offending other races and for that I apologise, but she has taken a liking to you and that is very rare indeed."

"Well to be honest I liked her to, until our conversation, I'm sorry I know she means a lot to you but she has shown me her true colours, how can I like someone who thinks I'm tainted and below her."

"She is very strung up in her ways and yes they can be intolerable but I must ask you to try and be her friend, I'm sure she told you about how she would rather be looked after by a pure blood rather than me, so I just need you to keep an eye on her, just while we journey to Vampire mountain then you can…"

"What? Vampire Mountain, why are WE going there?" I interrupted and looked to Mr. Crepsley for answers but I could tell he wasn't happy about this as he huffed and left the tent.

"Look Darren I need to take Red to the mountain, it's something Elder Hex asked me to do when the time was right,"

"Who in the world is Elder Hex?"

"He was my original mentor, who was humiliated and burnt at the stake after some humans found out he was a vampire. They would of killed me to if he hadn't of managed to sneak me out of the village first." It was Red she was covered in dirt only the gods knew what she had been doing before she came back to the tent. "He had asked David to sneak me out and take me to where the vampire bats dwell. Hence why David looks after me and not someone else it was Elder Hex's last wish."

"But why do you need to go to our mountain?" I hated being confused.

"Maybe you should find Larten he will be able to explain it better than I could." David half smiled and watched as I left to find Mr. Crepsley. He hadn't gone too far, I found him sitting by a lone camp fire lost to his thoughts. I sat next to him and just stayed in silence for a while until he spoke. "I am assuming that David has told you what is going on?"

"Not really, he told me about an Elder Hex, but he said I should ask you about why he and Red are coming to Vampire Mountain, he said you could explain it better."

"There is an old prophecy that when the first vampires were created some came from wolves such as our clan, and some came from bats, like Reds clan. It was said that the first time the two clans met Mr. Tiny told them that if they ever were to meet again it would bring about the end of the wolf clan."

"Does this include the Vampaneze to?"

"Yes this prophecy was made thousands of years before they split themselves from us."

"But I don't understand how? How can 2 clans meeting bring about the end of one of them?"

"We are not sure, we have lost quite a lot of the original story through the years of it being told, I only know of it because Sire told me about it when I was first blooded, I thought nothing of it until David told me what she is. Only the Elder vampires know of the tale and they will not be happy if she does go to the maintain."

"Are we going to travel with them then or are we going on ahead to tell everyone?"

"We shall travel with them, neither of them knows the way and they will both need to be vouched for. I do not believe in many prophesy's but when Mr. Tiny's name is mentioned in it I do not take it lightly, and neither should you Darren."

"Is this why David has asked me to be her friend and look out for her?"

"Yes, he has asked you for his own reasons but I must ask you to follow his wishes, it begrudges me to say it but I want you to keep an eye on her Darren, there is something not quite right here and until I have figured it out I need you to stay vigilant." I nodded and agreed to keep a close eye on her, it felt wrong being a spy but I knew Mr. Crepsley wouldn't ask me to do it unless it was important?

We made our way back to David's tent where we agreed to set out for the mountain as soon as everyone was packed, we could get a few hours in before we would need to stop and seek shelter from daybreak. Everything was arranged with Mr. Tall who was already waiting for us outside Mr. Crepsley's tent. It was also arranged that Mr. Crepsley's coffin would be moved into a bigger van so when we returned I would be able to hang a hammock in it as well. Mr. Tall took Mr. Crepsley to one side and had a quick word, I was too busy packing I had forgotten to ask what it was all about when he got back. We said a quick good bye to the people who would have noticed we had gone and met up with David and Red at the edge of camp.


	7. Come With Me

**Chapter 7 (Come with me.)**

We had been on the move for the better part of 4 months and it was hell. The first few months all Red did was complain about having to sleep on the floor, then she would complain about getting dirty, then she would complain about having to hunt her own food. I was shocked at how David could handle her, Mr. Crepsley and I would sometimes joke about flitting off just for some peace and quiet, but I knew he would not leave David like that. Luckily as the 4th month of our journey passed she had charmed down, she wasn't complaining as much and was finally getting the hang of living the ruff life she would even offer to hunt for all of us if she spotted a deer on our travels. It was handy having a member of the group who could fly; she could sneak up on her prey like no one else. She had apologised for what she said back at the camp so we were talking again, we would sometimes wake up before David and Mr. Crepsley so we could have a quick look around at our surroundings. We had stopped on the top of a very large tree which overlooking a little village, we watched as the last slither of sun crept beneath the horizon.

"Do you remember being human?" Red asked me as we walked back to camp out of the blue.

"Yes I do it was not that long ago?" I felt her left hand slip into my right and I blushed slightly.

"How did you get turned into a vampire? Why did you pick this life?" she asked looking at me confused

"I did not pick it, I did something stupid and landed myself in this mess, well I use to think of it as a mess now… it's just a part of who I am I guess." I looked at the finger tips on my left hand and showed the scars to Red. "Mr. Crepsley cut open mine and his finger tips with his nails then we joined them, his blood passed through me and I became a half vampire."

"Why? Did you ask him to blood you?" I had a feeling I wouldn't be able to escape the questions like I had been able to the past few night. I hated telling the story but I felt like I had no chose this time.

"I first met Mr. Crepsley when I and my best friend at the time snuck out to go and watch the Cirque du freaks, I've always had a fascination in spiders so when Mr. Crepsley came on with madam Octa I was mesmerised by her. I waited around at the end of the show for all the performers to go to sleep and I stole her."

Red gasped "You stole from a vampire? Did you have a death wish?"

I laughed "I did not know he was a vampire at the time. I learnt how to control her and how to do tricks, I even got my best friend involved when he found out what I had done, but something went wrong I lost control of her and she bit him, I agreed to be Mr. Crepsley assistant in exchange for the antidote to save my friends life." I smiled partly glad the tale was over but when I looked at her she looked sad.

"So you gave up your humanity for a friend?"

"Ye, It was my own fault I stole her and under my watch she bit him. Besides I do not mind being a vampire I'm used to it now." I kept smiling hoping she would see I really didn't mind. She still looked unhappy and most likely had a few more questions but I knew we were close to camp so she would have to stop asking about it and I knew she wouldn't say anything while Mr. Crepsley and David were about so I was safe. We let go of each other's hands as was the norm when we saw sight of the camp.

"I hope there isn't a scandal going on here; you pair always disappear before we wake up." David smiled and handed me a few strips of meat from an animal we had killed the night before, I thanked him and took my usual spot next to Mr. Crepsley who had already finished his breakfast.

"You will have to stop sneaking off soon, we are coming up to a dangerous area and I would not want…"

"I'm sure Darren and I can look after our selves, besides what's the worst that could happen." Red was hanging upside down off a tree branch sipping from a bag of blood. I could feel Mr. Crepsley's blood boil he hated being interrupted.

"Red you really shouldn't interrupt people its rude you know." David spoke firmly. She did it a lot when Mr. Crepsley was trying to tell me to be safe or was looking out for me, I knew she wasn't the biggest fan of him but I didn't think she would deliberately do it… well I hoped not.

"I was only saying jeez." Red was 2 very different people, when she was with me she was nice and easy to get on with but when she was around David and Mr. Crepsley she changed in no time. I looked at Mr. Crepsley hoping to break then tension building up inside him. "If you do not think it is safe ill stop leaving camp." I could feel Red glaring at me but I didn't look back at her.

"You still have 2 more nights then I would rather have you stay in camp, there has been a rise in bear attacks and being only half vampire..." He shuffled around awkwardly; it was his way of showing he cared I just smiled and agreed not to leave camp on the third night. He patted my head and left with David to fill up our canteens.

"Do you always do what he says?" Red asked sitting next to me

"He is my mentor if I do not learn from him who will I learn from?" I didn't expect her to understand.

"Can't you ask for someone else I mean he's just so… strick"

"That he may be but he is still my mentor and I would not want to change even if I could, Mr. Crepsley and I have worked hard to get this far I will not have it ruined by him hearing something like that." I looked at her hoping she would see how serious I was about it.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean it that way. I won't bring it up again." She smiled at me and kissed my cheek. I almost melted under her lips, she giggled and it only made me melt more. "It's just don't you get tired of him telling you what to do?"

"He is just looking after me, I'm not a full vampire and I really do not know how I would fair against a fully grown bear, I'm strong but I do not know if I'm that strong." We just laughed she said she understood but I wasn't really sure that she did.

We had started packing away after our chat. I packed mine and Mr. Crepsley's stuff into our back packs and fed Madam Octa while Red threw her stuff into her bag and moaned about having to carry it. David had told me never to carry her bag even if I thought it was the right thing to do because if I did she would want me to carry it all the time, it felt awkward when she first asked me and I had to say no, but she has never asked me again so I'm guessing she knew David had spoken to me.

The next few days went on as per norm, myself and Red would wake up early have a wonder around and talk about our lives, what we had done and what we planned on doing in the future. We were heading back to camp on our last day of being able to wonder off before we hit the dangerous area Mr. Crepsley had warned me about when Red took my hands and stepped in front of me.

"Darren you like me don't you?"

I started blushing "Yeees I like you." Before I could say anything else she placed her lips on mine. I was in shock but before I could blink she broke the kiss and hugged me "When all of this is over would you be my boyfriend?" I stiffened up 'did I really just hear her right' my mouth went dry and I couldn't speak. All she did was laugh as I managed to nod my head. She kissed me again and headed off back to camp leaving me standing there still speechless and in shock.

Our first month in the 'bad lands' was horrible to say the least, we saw 15 bears in total, one tried attacking us in the day but Mr. Crepsley and David soon took care of it, another managed to get into our food supplies luckily most of it was food we had collected on the journey and was easily replaces and lastly while I was foolishly filling our canteens down at a nearby river one attacked me, I managed to get away with only a few deep cuts to my arm. I hadn't seen Mr. Crepsley that mad in ages. I sat there pondering about the sudden rise of bears while Mr. Crepsley sewed up the deepest of the cuts and Red and David went to see if the bare was still around and to collect the canteens I have left on the river side.

"I told you it was dangerous, why did you decide it was a good idea to go down to the river by yourself?" Even though I knew he was concentrating on patching me up I could still feel him glaring at me.

"I was just trying to be helpful, you and David have been so busy with the bears I thought I would just give you a hand, decides I'm fine I didn't lose my arm so all is well." I was trying to make light of the situation but I knew Mr. Crepsley was angry and disappointed with me because I didn't listen.

"You are lucky you only got grazed, it could have killed you. Now we will be entering a city by the end of the week do you think you can stay out of trouble until we get there?" He helped pull my shirt sleeve down over my wound and tapped me on the back, his own way of saying 'I'm glad you're alright'.

I smiled my thanks for the first aid. "What city are we heading to?" I asked while I inspected his handy work, he tapped my hands away as I ran a finger over one of the cuts. "It will never heal if you play with it."

"I was not playing with it, I was just looking." I was slightly annoyed at being told off like I was a child. Mr. Crepsley stood up and signalled for me to follow, he was only going down to the river to wash his hands but he wouldn't let me leave his sight even though the camp was only a stone's throw away I had to be next to him, I thought about pushing him in the river but I was in enough trouble as it was, I didn't want to dig myself into a deeper hole, though I couldn't help but laugh at the image of Mr. Crepsley being washed away down the river.

"What is so funny?" Mr. Crepsley asked while still washing his hands.

"Oh nothing… just thinking." I answered holding back my laughter.

"Well just so you know I am an excellent swimmer." He stood up and headed off back to camp, I stood there in silence for a while, how in the Gods did he know what I was thinking. I was interrupted from my thoughts by Mr. Crepsley placing his hands on my back and pushing me up the small hill back to camp.


	8. More Of His Past

**Chapter 8 (More of his past.)**

We ended up back in Mr. Crepsley's home town. We decided not to check into the hotel we stayed in last time just encase we were remembered. It's hard to forget a man in complete red and a boy who looks as dead as I do. We settled on a smaller hotel just on the out skirts of the town centre. Mr. Crepsley spent most of his time staring out the window, David spent most of his with Red out and about and I was left behind.

Ever since our kiss Red and I don't spend much time together, I decided I would ask her about it when she came back but that could be hours away, I needed something to do while besides sitting around in front of the T.V.

"Whatever you are looking at must be extremely interesting." I lent on the door frame of Mr. Crepsley's room. He just nodded never even saying a word to me.

"Do you want anything to eat, you have not moved in ages?"

He shook his head. I walked over and sat next to him, and followed his gaze,

"We'll all I can see is another hotel, lots of people and a strange man running around with a traffic cone on his head." I was very confused but amused about the last one.

"Where that hotel is now, my house use to be there from when I was a child."

"I did not know you lived so close to the city centre?"

"I did not, I lived on a farm, all of the buildings you see today where never there when I was young."

"So why is it not a farm now? Why build a city here?"

"People are greedy, when I left my family to start a new as a vampire, my father most likely sold the land to the highest bidder."

"Why did you leave your family to be a vampire?" I looked at him, my eyes full of questions but I knew I couldn't ask them all tonight.

He looked at me with sad eyes. "My father was my main reason. As I am sure you are aware I have red hair, however my mother had brown and my father blond, he always believe I was another mans and would question my mother regularly, she swore I was his son but he never truly believed her. My father had no place for me; my elder brothers where the main focus in his life, my sister was taken care of by my mother and I was sent off to work at a very young age." He took a deep breath and sighed.

"Did you work on your farm you lived at?" I shuffled closer to him trying to support him physically and mentally. At first he said nothing and I was going to drop it.

"I was sent to work for the village black smith when I was 10; I cleaned out his chimneys and made sure he had plenty of water from a well in the back of his shop. He was a nice man, paid me well considering I was so young, he taught me his trade and I stayed as an apprentice under him. I worked for him till I was 21, he was getting old and I was to inherit his shop when he died." He put his hand on his forehead and closed his eyes, I wanted desperately to know more but know I couldn't rush him. I put a hand on his shoulder,

"Do you want to stop? I know this must be difficult for you."

"No I am alright; I just need a drink that is all." He has about to get up but I pushed him back down and went to get a glass of water for him. He smiled his thanks and continued putting the glass on the window shelf.

"Working as a black smith was one of the most enjoyable times of my life, I got on well with my mentor and after a while started to see him as my role model, he has suffered the same life as I, neglected by your father over 2 older brothers, that is why he took me as his apprentice. I remember coming home early one night and found my father with another woman, he did not notice me at first but when he did he beat me severely, said if I ever told my mother he would kill me."

"What did you do? Did you tell your mother?"

"PARADICE NO! He was not one to "crack jokes" he would of killed me if I had of told my mother and them beaten her. I could not do that to my mother. So I ran."

"Did you go to back to the black smith?"

"I was going to but could not drag him into this, he has given me a skill and I was determined not to get him involved. I wrote him a note and left it on his door. Then I started my life as my own man."

"But how did you end up getting involved with Seba?"

"I managed to set up a black smith of my own in a quiet little village, he came into my shop one day asking me to fix a sword and as payment he introduced me to vampires."

"That's payment?"

"He taught me what he knew then asked if I would join him, I had nothing to lose so I left my shop to my eldest assistant and started my new vampiric life."

I went really sad and he noticed. "Why are you sad?"

"No reason." I shuffled on the spot.

"OH is it because I had other assistance before you?" he has a smile on his face.

"NO why would I care." It was the main reason for my sadness I was hoping I was unique.

"Darren, you are my only vampiric assistant, the others where when I was human a long; long; long time before your grandparents where even born." he put an arm around me and dragged me to him. "You are my first vampiric assistant and you will be my last." He smiled and I smiled back.

"Why? Because I'm so brilliant."

"No, because you will be the death of me." And with that he burst out laughing.

I was getting up to leave when he grabbed my arm and forced me into a rare hug.

"I shall never have any other assistant because they would not be you, at first I may not have liked you and I made you face a diction no child your age should have had to undergo." He held me tighter, "But I have gotten very fond of you Darren, I could not imagine spending the rest of my nights with any other assistant if they were not you."

I was speechless; I held onto Mr. Crepsley for dear life and burst out crying. He didn't say a word; he just held me close and rubbed my back.

"I will always be here to protect you Darren, no matter what, you are all I have left, and I have no family, apart from you." He kissed me on the head and that just made me cry even worse, I was seeing a side of Mr. Crepsley I never thought I would ever see after our time on the beach and in his coffin, but here he was holding me close, confuting me even though he felt uneasy around tears, he was here, and I loved every moment of it.

However all good things must come to an end, and our moment ended with Red and David opening the hotel door. Mr. Crepsley wiped my tears away and walked out to greet them, I stayed in his room and stared out of the window listening to them greet on another and asking how each other's nights went. I heard Red ask where I was, and when she found out I was in Mr. Crepsley's room she asked for his permission to go and see if I was alright. I was hoping Mr. Crepsley would say just to leave me for a bit but he let her.

"Darren, are you ok?" She walked over to me and tried to turn me to face her. I didn't budge; I was glued to the street outside watching all the people get on with their busy lives.

"Darren, look at me." She sounded scared but still I didn't move, she looked at me then out of the window, she didn't notice anything worth staring so she looked at me again.

"I was hoping you could show me what a cinema is when morning comes, I've never been to one before. Will you take me?"

I tour my gaze from the window and walked straight past her not looking at her once. "Maybe some other time." And I left. I heard her sniffle trying to fight back tears but I didn't look back, I headed straight for the door and walked out onto the street. Leaving everyone behind.

I sat on a park bench watching the world go by thinking about everything. Mr. Crepsley's words earlier really knocked me about. I had somewhat forgotten he made me make a choose, I forgot he was the one who took me away from my family and I had forgotten how much I hated him. I couldn't remember when I stopped hating him though, why did I stop hating him, why have I forgotten my parents and Ann so easily. I was wrapped up in him, he was keeping me safe, he was treating me, well like a son, but I still couldn't work out why I would forget my human family for my vampiric father. I was so confused. But it wasn't just Mr. Crepsley on my mind Red was on it to, when we kissed I really thought I had a good thing going, I thought we would be boyfriend and girlfriend now, but she always avoids me. She only wanted me to take her to the cinemas for her own sake. Or was it?

I thought some more about Red, and decided she wouldn't be the kind of person to do that, she had to be avoiding me for a good reason and I could of just blown my chances sky high by walking out. I got up to run back to the hotel and take Red to the cinemas when I saw her standing there, but it wasn't Red, It was Debbie.


	9. The Illness

**Chapter 9 (The illness.)**

"Darren?" Debbie looked confused and slowly back away, she was a teenager now, she looked 17 / 18, she was taller but she still looked exactly the same. I stood mouth wide open eyes popping out of their sockets. How was this possible?

"Darren is that really you?" she reached her hand out and walked towards me this time until her hand reached my cheek. "It really is you." And she bit her bottom lip.

"Yes Debbie it's me." I touched the hand which was on my cheek and tapped it lightly.

She smiled, and then tears started to roll down her cheeks,

"Why did you go Darren? Why didn't you say goodbye?" she snatched her hand back and put her back to me. She was sobbing uncontrollable and I felt helpless.

"I waited for you to come back; I sat at my window all day and night waiting for you to come back. You broke my heart Darren." She faced me again and all I saw was anger and pure rage.

"I decorated your tree?" I sheepishly answered in my defence.

"Oh well thank you, I thought we were going out and you couldn't even be bother to say goodbye but that's ok decorating a stupid Christmas tree makes up for it!"

I looked at the floor; I really wasn't having much luck with women today.

"I didn't mean to hurt you I had important business I couldn't…"

"So I wasn't important enough to say goodbye to then?"

"I didn't mean it like that. I just couldn't get the time."

"Where did you go?"

"Another country." She looked me square in the face but she could tell I was lying.

"Don't treat me like a fool Darren, where did you go?"

I started to worry know, what was I supposed to tell her? Oh I just killed a vampaneze and went on the run, found myself in vampire council and Bobs your uncle Fannies your aunt there's the story. "I can't tell you." *WACK* she slapped me across the face.

"You break my heart and can't even tell me why."

"For your own safety I can't tell you." She looked me in the eyes again and saw I wasn't lying this time.

We stayed silent for a while her looking at me and me looking at the floor.

"Are you here to stay this time?"

"No I'm just passing through; I'll be leaving in a few days."

"Waw a couple of days, that's all I get, would you of came looking for me if we hadn't of meet here?"

I shook my head, in all honest I was too wrapped up in Red, David and Mr. Crepsley to even remember she lived here. "Truthfully…no I wouldn't have. I didn't want to course you anymore pain."

"You owe me big time Darren Shan, you really owe my big."

"I know and I'll try and make it up to you but right now I have to..."

"No you won't try you will. A show starts at 2.30 the cinema we had our first date, I want you to take me."

I gulped loudly, I couldn't really tell David, Mr. Crepsley or Red I was taking someone to the cinema after what I did to Red when she asked me to take her, I would be slaughtered.

"Debbie I can't do that, isn't there another way, please."

"No. I still live in the house I use to, call for me there, at 1." Then she turned and walked off. I was in deep shit now.

I made it back to the hotel room shortly after my meeting with Debbie and found everyone was asleep. I breathed a sigh of relief and made my way to my room, I had some serious thinking to do about if I should take Debbie and hide it from Red, or forget it completely, she will forget about me eventually, but then I remembered her face when she saw me in the park, she never forgot and if I stood her up now, she would never forgive or forget me.

I woke up that afternoon, I had to be at Debbie's for 1 so I had an hour to get ready and be there. I was hoping I could get back before people started waking up. I rushed round quickly but quietly, grabbed something to eat and got dressed into some normal cloths; I rushed out the door and made it to Debbie's at 1 exactly. I knocked the door and Debbie answered. She had dressed in a black skirt and pink shirt. "Well at least you didn't stand me up." She slammed the door behind her and walked past, "well come on."

I ran after her down the road hoping and praying this could be over quickly.

We got to the cinema 10 minutes early, I brought the tickets and I had to buy the popcorn and drinks. This didn't seem like the kind of pay back she would normally dish out. Maybe me going hurt her more then I realized. She made me watch a chick flick and I hated every moment of it, I was glad when it was over.

I stretched and yarned when we got outside of the cinema.

"What am I boring you?" Debbie asked as she crossed her arms.

"Well the film wasn't the best but at least we spent some time together."

"Ye at least you didn't just vanish this time." She walked off towards an arcade that was never there last time I was here.

"Well I've got to start…"

"Let's go bowling."

"I can't I have to start getting back."

"No, you're still making up we ARE going bowling."

I rolled my eyes, I knew people would start waking up soon and I had to still walk her home and get back to the hotel, I was doomed.

"Look can we do it some other time? I really have to go."

"Fine, I knew you didn't want to come out anyway, go then"

"Look I said I was sorry for going, you said to make up I had to take you to the cinema and I have, I can't go bowling as well."

Debbie started crying, "Fine leave me again, that's what your good at, all I wanted to do was spend some time with you before you go but fine." She walked off still crying.

I felt really bad, I knew she was playing me but I still felt really bad.

"Fine come on, we will go bowling."

She turned around and there were no tears at all, "Good."

We finished bowling at 6.45, it was getting dark and I knew everyone would be up by now. Debbie and I were walking home and I was sweating buckets how would I explain this when I get back…

"Darren!" Debbie snapped at me

"What?"

"Where you even listening to me? What aren't I worth listening to now?"

"I was just distracted that all, God relax."

"Why are you so mean to me?" she started crying again.

"Look Debbie I'm just distracted a little that's all."

I was about to carry on walking when she throw her arms around me. "I've missed you so much Darren."

I hugged her back but really wanted to get back to the hotle, I tried to get her to let go but she wouldn't budge.

"Look Debbie, I've had a really nice time but I need…" before I could finish my sentence she grabbed me and forced me into a kiss. I was too shocked to pull back. It felt nothing like when Red kissed me, Debbie was ok but there was not spark like Red, I wiggled and struggled against her but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get her off. She was pretty strong for a human.

"Debbie STOP!" I managed to say under her unwanted kiss but she finally let me go.

"What, don't you find me attractive anymore? I look to old now don't I?" she started with the crocodile tears again and threw her arms around me. I was to busy struggling again to get her off that I never noticed someone was behind me. A hand came out of the darkness and grabbed my shoulder spinning me round at an incredible speed. My eyes connected with my 'attacker' and I went deadly cold.

"Red! Thank god, help me get her off." I reached out for help but she slapped my hands away.

"Red please it's not what you think." I walked to her, still with Debbie attached to my arm, and tried to touch her again.

"Don't touch me Darren." She growled at me, the fire in her eyes scared me more than anything. She looked at me sadly and turned to leave.

"Red, come on let me explain." I tried shacking Debbie off me one final time but when I looked back to Red she had gone. I pushed Debbie off with more force then I intended and landed with a hard wack on the floor.

She rubbed her head and glared at me. "Who was that crazy women?"

"SHE'S NOT CRAZY!" I turned and shouted. "Take yourself home Debbie." I didn't let her reply, I ran off after Red.

I searched the parks and the town centre, up on roof tops and down alleyways but I couldn't see her, it was like she had just vanished. I sighed "This is hopeless, I have no chose I have to head back, maybe David will know where she was." When I reached the hotel door I was expecting to hear shouting from within but it was silent. I took a hold of the door handle and slowly turned it.

"Hay Darren, you want a cup of coffee?" a very happy looking David asked me, I almost fell over. She obviously didn't come back here or David would be killing me right now. "No thank you but have you seen Red?" I gulped nervously.

"No I thought she was out with you." He was looking at me know and I knew he could tell something was wrong. "Darren what is going…?" The door to Mr. Crepsley's room opened and the dark figure of Mr. Crepsley glided out he looked well at all.

"Larten are you alright. You look… paler than normal." David asked completely forgetting he was half way through asking me a question I was thankful for that but also worried about Mr. Crepsley in all my years of being by his side I have only ever seen him ill once before after Sera made him eating some strange new plant that was growing in the mountain and he had an allergic reaction to it. Afterwards we found out a handful of vampires had suffered the same fate as Mr. Crepsley so he advised me not to try it just in case.

"I feel like I have been dropped from paradise and landed in a thorn bush." He plonked himself on the sofa. "Darren can you turn off the lights and draw the curtains."

"Yes of cause." I started doing as he asked but kept one small lamp on so David could still see where he was going. "Do you want a drink?" I asked offering he a glass of blood which he took but almost threw it back up after one sip. I looked at David for comfort, I was getting worried even though his reaction he could still drink blood but David just smiled and shook his head. He sat himself down next to Mr. Crepsley and felt his head with the back of his hand. "How long ago has it been since you changed to blood in your vials?" David asked while still checking Mr. Crepsley temperature and checking the colour of his eyes, I was surprised he was allowing something like this to happen, he never let anyone check him last time.

Mr. Crepsley mulled over the question for a few minutes. "It has been a while I must admit, since leaving the Cirque Du Freaks this has been the only place I could collect a fresh batch but I have not got around to doing so." He looked at the floor kind of ashamed at himself.

"Then I'm not surprised your feeling this way, though I am surprised it's happened so soon, I thought your body could handle a few month old blood as long as it was bottles properly." David stood up and filled a bowl with cold water, grabbed a clean cloth and placed it on the coffee table.

"My body can handle it, I am a vampire after all but since catch that bug around 150 years ago I have begun to start to notice that certain blood types age quicker than others, I must have just picked a bad vial." He dipped the cloth in the water, placed it on his forehead and lay back down on the sofa.

"You will be fine after a good day's sleep, I'm sure Darren and I can collect enough fresh blood to wash it out of your veins in no time. Oh and Larten that bug you caught that was over 200 years ago." David laughed as Mr. Crepsley moaned and hid under his cloak. Before I could ask anything David grabbed my shoulder and ushered me out of the room and into the hallway.

"Don't worry about him, he'll be find, it's not the first time this has happened and it won't be the last." He laughed but I was still worried. I didn't know Mr. Crepsley had ever caught a bug or that he couldn't drink certain blood after a time.

"When did he catch this bug?" I asked randomly while we bled a homeless man while he was passed out down a dark alley.

"God that happened 200 years ago, a new performer Shaun came into the Cirque he could put on the symptoms of any form of decease or illness at will and get rid of them just as fast, but he could never pass the illness on… well that's what we thought until Larten fell ill. Mr. Tall discovered that Shaun was carrying something that Vampires can catch as easily as humans catch a cold. Shaun didn't know this of course Larten had been the first Vampire most of the performers back then had seen. Once Larten got better Shaun decided to leave just in case he was carrying anything else. The bug itself was long since died but it's had an everlasting effect on Larten." David put a plaster over the cut I had made on the man's leg as neither of us had magic spit we decided plasters where the best idea.

It took us over 4 hours but we had managed to collect enough blood, from several generous donors, to flush out the blood making Mr. Crepsley ill. We were heading back to the hotel when David stopped me just outside. "I know you're worried about Larten but I'm going to have to ask you not to come up for another few hours."

"What? Why not. I need to make sure he is ok." I started making my way to the door back David blocked me.

"He has never been around another vampire while he is ill; I can't be 100% sure whether or not you're safe from it and I know Larten would kill me if you got ill." I smiled David had a point, I didn't want to get ill, and if I did catch what Mr. Crepsley has he would feel guilty. I agreed not to come up and that I would be in the park so David would know where to find me when it was safe.

It must of looked odd to anyone who saw me, a boy who looked about 15-16 walking the streets at night but I was used to it, I knew I could beat up anyone who tried to attack me so I felt safe. I had been stopped by a police officer once before but I told them I had been stopping around my friend's house when we had a falling out and I just wanted to go home. The look on Mr. Crepsley's face was priceless when I arrived at the door with a policeman.

I hopped the gate that surrounded the park and let my eyes adjust to the complete darkness as I started wondering around I came past the area where Debbie threw herself at me, but I never noticed I was too busy worrying about Mr. Crepsley. I was so busy in thought I never noticed Red hanging upside down at a tree glaring at me.


	10. Revelations

**Chapter 10 (Revelations.)**

"So you finally decided to come looking for me. It's only taken you 5 dammed hours!" I could tell from the voice it was red so I didn't bother turning around, I just sat on the nearby bench that over looked the park's boating lake.

"So what after what you have done you're just going to sit there and say nothing to me!" I could feel her stomping her way towards me but oddly I didn't really care, I was too preoccupied. She stood in front of me but I still didn't move my eyes to look at her I could tell she was angry I didn't need to look at her to tell.

"I could have been hurt or injured someone could of tried to kidnap me. Do you even care!" she went to slap me but I caught her arm in mid are, I didn't think she was expecting it because she let out a small shout as her arm and my hand connected. I took a deep breath I really wasn't in the mood right now for her bitching.

"I'm pretty sure you could fight off anyone trying to kidnap you." I answered plainly

"That's not the point, you said you liked me so why didn't you come looking for me?" She put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot awaiting my answer.

I rolled my eyes and put my hands over my head, sighing loudly I stood up and straightened myself out. "I did go looking for you. I went back to the hotel but found out Mr. Crepsley was ill so I had to help David collect fresh blood to make him better. To be totally honest if it hadn't of been for David asking me not to go back to the room just in case I got ill to I would still be there."

"So what Larten is more important than my safety?!"

"Yes he is, and only his closest friends can all him Larten, you don't even like him so you can call him Mr. Crepsley." Maybe I was letting Mr. Crepsley's illness worry me too much but I couldn't help it, I didn't even know about this bug, what would of happened if David hadn't of been there to help out, what if I made him ill by giving him the wrong vile of blood.

"Whatever, I can call whoever I want whatever I want, if I want to call him Larten or Mr. Muffins I will." I just turned around slowly my face blank of any emotion; she looked slightly worried when we made eye contact.

"You WILL call him Mr. Crepsley. I don't care if you think you're the only one who can save your race or the world, you do not call him Larten unless he instructs otherwise understood?" She just rolled her eyes and sat down on the bench moaning about my attitude. "Whatever… so who was that girl you were with earlier?"

I told her the story of how Debbie and I first met, how we dated briefly and how I left the city without telling her. Red remained silent as I told the story I was unsure if she was listening or not but she asked so I just continued. I told her about how I bumped into her while I was out, how she guilt tripped me into taking her out and I explain how I didn't want to kiss her and was trying to get her off without hurting her. When I was finished she just laughed. "You wanna know something?"

"Sure why not." I didn't really but it beat sitting there in silence.

"I know you were trying to get her off, I just wanted to see what you would do." She was laughing and looked at me expecting a smile, but I wasn't smiling.

"Pardon… can you just run that by me again, you knew and still thought it was a good idea to make me think you hated me and to run off?" I was baffled I was hoping I had heard her wrong.

"Don't take it so seriously I was only having a laugh, you look so cute when you're scared." She laughed again and tried to put her arm around me but I moved out of her reach and her laughter stopped. "What's up with you I was only having a laugh."

"Did I look like I was laughing; I can't believe that was just a laugh to you." I looked at her with all the hatred I could muster. I felt like the punch line of a bad joke. I didn't wait for an answer from her I just turned and left, by the Gods if I had of stayed I would have snapped. I heard her shouting for me to come back and when I heard her stand up to follow I ran as fast as my legs would carry me.

I hit the edge of town after an hour of flat out running, the sun was coming up and I stopped on a bridge to watch the sunrise. I smiled sadly to myself remembering the last time I watched the sunrise I was sitting on the top of tree with my arm around Red thinking the world was great how foolish was I. I should never of gotten involved with her but I did and there was nothing I could do about it now, we were promised to each other and Mr. Crepsley taught me that once promised there was no getting out of it, I had to say I was 'spoken for' for the next 11 months. I regretted it now. I turned to walk back to the hotel and walked straight into an elderly lady who dropped her shopping in shock.

"I am so sorry; I should really watch where I'm going." I was full of apologies and I was red with embarrassment. The Lady just smiled and started picking up her shopping.

"Here let me help you, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to make you drop your shopping." I said bending over picking up a loaf, butter and a bag of potatoes.

"It's quite alright dear, I've over shopped anyway I would of dropped it myself eventually." She smiled at me again as she started repacking her bag.

"Would you like a hand carrying it, it's the least I could do considering I made you drop it." She looked at me in astonishment.

"Well it's nice to see the young are still being brought up with manners, your parents should be very proud of you." I took most of the bags and followed in silence as she led the way back to where she lived.

"So what had you so distracted on the bridge?" She asked as we waited to cross the road.

"Oh it's nothing." I said looking down at the ground.

"I bet its girl trouble, a young gentleman such as yourself must get quite a line of young ladies ready to be swept off their feet."

I could only laugh, "I did have someone but she turned out to be someone completely different then I first thought." I sighed and I could see the Lady smile sadly at me.

"You my boy have learnt a hard lesson today, ladies especially young ladies can be like Doc. Jackleg and Mr. Hide, but you will find someone nice in the end I can tell."

We spent the rest of the walk talking about her and her life, I found out her name was Ethel and use to run a flower shop in the town centre, her daughter started running it after she retired. Her older brother was a sailor in the war and lives on a boat and her younger sister died of pneumonia when she was 13.

When we reached a small house at the end of a cu-di-sac she opened the front door and ushered me inside. She told me to sit down the kitchen table while she put the kettle on. I looked around the room at all the trinkets, odds and ends and at all the old family photos and lump came to my throat. I was hit with a horrible realisation that I would never see pictures like this of my human family anymore. I forced myself to stop looking I wouldn't cry I refused. She handed me a cup of tea and sat down opposite me "So are you here with your family?" she asked as she added sugar to her tea.

"I'm here with my father; he used to live here so we decided to stop for a while before we have to move on." I looked at my cup nervously I hated having to lie I was never any good at it.

"Oh where did he used to live? Who knows I may have even sold him flowers back when I ran the shop." She smiled at me excitedly and I couldn't help but smile back, I knew Mr. Crepsley had a way with the ladies but I have never seen him buy flowers.

"He told me they built a hotel over it now so I couldn't see it in person but it was by the town centre."

"They are always building a new hotel, knocking down history and replacing it with horrible looking buildings." She started ranting. "Do you like history?" she asked half way through the rant.

"Yes, I've always had a passion for history." I wasn't lying this time I had always loved history it was my best subject at school.

"Glorious, if I was only 50 years younger." She laughed as my cheeks went red. "Well on your way back into town if you cut through the small park just off the main road there is a little house in the middle of the park, it just to be in the town centre but they moved it to the park about 40 years ago. It's going on to be 250 years old soon. Fascinating place, they use to let people walk around on the inside when I was a child but they haven't done that in years now." She continued to tell me out the house and how she managed to trace her family back to someone who use to live there, she went into the living room and came back with a thick folder labelled family tree. She took me back through the years telling me about what certain people did and when they died, I was never really interested in my family tree, my mom had tried getting me to help but it only bored me, my family's history was boring, I acted like I was interested as she spoke occasionally asking the odd one or two questions to show I was listening. I had tuned out when she started talking about her mother's great; great; great; grandparents or something along that line until she said something that made my ears perk up. "Yes she had 3 older brothers the 2 eldest where twins I managed to find their birth certificates but their names had been smudged so I don't know their names but the 3rd his name was Larten, quite an unusual name really."

I tried to hide my shock; I was sitting with Mr. Crepsley's younger sister's great, great, great, great granddaughter. I looked at the copy of the birth certificate rereading the name over and over again there was no mistaking it this was Mr. Crepsley. She continued for a few more minutes never really noticing my fixation on this particular piece of paper, she glanced up at her clock and let out a gasp.

"Oh my boy I'm sorry I've been chattering away for the past hour, your father must be worried sick, you should head off home before it gets to dark." I said my good byes and apologised again for bumping into her in the first place. As I walked off down the road it started raining so I jogged my way to the park with the house Ethel had told me about. I kept running it over in my head Mr. Crepsley will be so shocked when I tell him… I stopped bolt in my tracks… should I tell him? I already knew he hadn't concerned himself with his human family for YEARS, how would it affect him if I told him he had living relatives on his sister's side.

I mulled the question over in my head, if in 200 years' time if my assistant came over to me and said 'I've just had a cup of tea with a relative of yours from your sisters side' would I really want to know, being a vampire was all Mr. Crepsley knew now, he still got slightly frustrated at me when I started missing my human family. If I told him he could never go over to Ethel and tell her who he really was. I started walking towards the park and my stomach started feeling uneasy like I shouldn't go to the house, but I fought against it I had to know, the closer I got to the park my stomach would tighten with nerves. It had been a strange day what was the chance of bumping into a relative of Mr. Crepsley's out of a town full of people, and what's the chances of this house which was over 200 years old being the house Mr. Crepsley grew up in.

I walked through the park slowly it was only small and the moment you walked in through the main gate you could see the railing surrounding the house. The closer I got the more my gut told he I was right. I held onto the railings for support, I had never seen the house Mr. Crepsley had grown up in and he never described it to me but in my gut I knew; I knew this was it. I thought I would feel happier I could tell him his house was never destroyed and that its protected in a park, but I felt like I shouldn't be here looking at this, I felt I was looking into something Mr. Crepsley wouldn't want me to. I looked a little while longer deciding whether or not to tell him.

NO. I couldn't tell him, he got so upset just talking about his family earlier even back on the beach he seemed saddened by the memories of them, he ran away from this house why would he want to come back, it would crush him if I told him. I made a pact between myself and the Gods I would never EVER tell anyone of this and I would never reveal any of it to Mr. Crepsley no matter what. I let go of the rail and ran off back towards the hotel.

"Darren! Thank god I came looking for you 2 hours ago where have you been? Jeez you're soaked to the bone." David threw his arms around me when I got back, he was under to strange elution that I was injured dying in a ditch somewhere. I smiled at his warm but over the top greeting even when he starting pushing me for answers.

"How is Mr. Crepsley?" I managed to ask when he stopped for a breath.

"Well unfortunately he is already showing signs of being back to his strict normal self. I am still hoping for the day the bug may make him lighten up a little but alas." We shared a laugh together and we had a quick chat while I dried my hair off with a towel that had been lobbed at me while David told me off for dripping all over the carpet. I went off in to my room to dry and change. I could hear the faint sounds of 2 people whispering and decided to be nosey.

"Is he still mad at me?" it was Red she must have told David what was going on.

"If I was him I would be. It wasn't funny you know." David's cheery voice had lost it cheeriness and now sounded full of disappointment.

"Why is it I'm the only vampire who can take a joke?"

"That wasn't a joke that was just being mean to Darren."

"God if you like him so much why not replace me with him."

"If I could I would, at least he doesn't moan about everything. Now he will be coming back out soon so I think its best you go back to your room."

"It's ok, if she wants to say that's fine." I said standing in the door way of my room, both David and Red looked at me surprised at how quiet I had managed to be. David was about to protest but I just smiled like I didn't care about anything and headed into the small kitchen and made myself a jam sandwich. David sat down on the sofa and stared reading a book. Red tried talking to me a few times but after getting blanked after every attempt she gave up and went back into her room.

I took Mr. Crepsley some soup when I was finished; I knocked on his door lightly and entered. "I did not know if you were hungry or not so I brought you some soup." I placed in on his bedside table and smiled at him. He was already up and about back to his normal pale self, I was happy about that. He turned and smiled at me and sat down to eat his soup. I turned to leave but he asked me to stay so I closed the door and took a seat on his bed.

"David told me you wasn't at the park like you said you would be." He asked but never took his eyes off his soup. I shuffled around a little, 'should I tell him the truth…no you made a pact with the Gods you can't.' "I'm assuming he told you about mine and Reds fall out." I asked hoping I could just blame it all on that.

"Yes he did, it is lucky I was too ill to do something about it." I could hear the hate in his voice and oddly I smiled at it, it was his way of showing he cared.

"It just got to me so I went on a walk and ended up on the outskirts of town." I started twiddling my thumbs hopefully that would be it of the questions.

"It has been raining for a good hour, did you not think of coming back here?" he watched me over the rim of the bowl watching my reaction to his question.

"Well I bumped into an Elderly lady and she dropped her shopping so I helped her pick it up and helped carry it back then she started showing me her pictures and family tree…" I stopped myself fast. Every time I had to tell Mr. Crepsley the truth even if I didn't want to I would run off the story without thinking but I couldn't this time.

"Well it is good to see you are turning into a gentleman. I am pleased you helped her, and as long as you were safe I cannot say anymore." He placed the empty bowl on the table again and smiled his thanks. I let out a sigh of relief that was it for the questions.

He stood up and started looking out of the window again, I could see the sadness in his eyes and it just sealed the pact, it would kill him if I told him any of the events that had happened today.


	11. The Attack

**Chapter 11 (The Attack.)**

It had been 2 months since my run in with Debbie, 2 very long and hard going months. Red and I were talking again but only when it was needed. Her and David flew off about 3 weeks ago, said they would meet up with us at the last rest point before Vampire Mountain, but never told us where they were going. The 3 weeks without David weren't all that bad. I still had Mr. Crepsley right WRONG! Ever since we left his home town he had been distant, far gone. Sometimes I don't even think he remembers I'm there. I understood at first but now; now it's just making me angry and to be honest quite hurt and lonely.

It was a late mid-autumn eve. I was sitting on a high branch of the tallest tree I could find just watching the sun inch its way under the horizon. I watched in astonishment as the sky changed from blue to yellow to orange to red, then eventually night had fallen. I knew Mr. Crepsley would be awake by now, he was probably still in his own little world and not even noticed I was gone. I climbed down from the tree and jogged back to camp.

"I'm very surprised you did not start shouting for me. I've been gone awhile." I had started to notice my speech had changed quite a lot in the past few weeks. I still occasionally join my words together but I can't bring myself to say 'don't' or 'can't'. In my head I string anything together but out loud it just felt wrong.

"I had not noticed you had gone." Mr. Crepsley answered bluntly. He was sat in front of a newly made fire. I went and sat opposite him.

"No, I guess you would not." I stared into the fire; it reminded me of how Red's eyes would go when she was angry. My thought where interrupted.

"And what exactly does that mean?" Mr. Crepsley looked up at me but I couldn't make eye contact.

"It is just you have not been 'with us' ever since we left your home town."

Mr. Crepsley looked at me angrily. "Well I am so sorry that I happen to be missing my humanity. I never moan at you when you go into a mood when you miss your family!" He stood and turned his back to me about to walk away.

"DAME IT WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU! I AM JUST TRYING TO HEL…" I jumped up and grabbed his shoulder and spun him round.

Next thing I remember I was whizzing through the air and landed smack bang up against a tree. There was a sharp pain running up to my head, I blacked out for a second but gained my sight back quickly. I looked around and noticed the arm Mr. Crepsley had used to knock me back was still in the air, but he had locked eyes with me, but I couldn't see anything no regret, remorse, anger or even worry, nothing.

I managed to get up off the ground using the tree for support, but when I stood up straight I was filled with agonizing pain and I fell back down. Any minute now I was expecting him to run over to me say he was sorry, check me over and we would be fine, but he was still standing there his arm still in the air and his empty eyes still locked onto my fearful ones. I wasn't scared of Mr. Crepsley I was scared my back might have been broken. My legs had gone numb and I couldn't stretch my back out. Tears fell from my eyes as I slowly tried to get up again. This time the pain wasn't as bad and I knew I hadn't broken my spine. After what seemed a life time I was able to walk around like nothing had happened between me and the tree.

I noticed Mr. Crepsley hadn't moved an inch, hadn't blinked and it didn't look like he was even breathing. I studied him quickly noticing blood dripping from his fingertips, I was puzzled at first then I looked down to my chest. My once blue top was now turning a blood red colour, 4 long scratches ran from my left shoulder to my right hip. My face had turned pail. I truly only thought he pushed me back not ATTACKED ME!

My tearful eyes locked onto his still empty one. I was going to let loose on him, scream and shout until I couldn't scream no more, but I couldn't; I couldn't find the words, he had attacked me. ME of all people, the person he swore to protect. I fell to my knees and clutched my chest, not thought pain of my wounds but pain of who had inflicted them upon me. I tried curling up into a small ball hoping and praying this was a bad dream, I was going to wake up soon; I had to wake up soon.

I realized this wasn't a dream, Mr. Crepsley had really attack me, and instead of shouting and screaming, I cried, I cried so hard I couldn't breathe. Now I was scared. I was scared of the only person in the world I never in my wildest dreams thought I would ever be scared of, and to make matters worse he was just staring, watching me fall apart, watching me hurting and doing nothing about it. Eventually I stopped crying. I stood up never looking at him not even once. I took my top off to examine my scratches. They weren't deep enough to threaten my life, but I knew they would scar. I would have an everlasting reminder of this day for the rest of my life. I started sniffling trying to hold back the flood of tears ready to break free.

With my now ruined top I wiped up the blood off my chest. I applied some of my own spit to the wound, even thought I knew I didn't have healing spit, I was hoping it would help. After I was cleaned up, I picked up my coat, put it on and sat behind the tree I had connected with so Mr. Crepsley couldn't see me. I brought my knees up as close to me as I could, making myself as small as possible and cried silently to myself. My back and chest where both throbbing, my head was killing and I was truly scared. I don't know how it happened but I managed to fall asleep.

BANG!

I was startled awake. Maybe we were being attacked; maybe Red just crashed landed. I jumped up ignoring the pain in my chest and back and dashed round the tree to face the camp site, but what I saw wasn't a camp site it was a mess. The trees surrounding the camp now had fist shape holes missing out of them. If they didn't have holes they were broken in half and littered the floor. And there on his hands and knees surrounded by broken tree trunks was Mr. Crepsley, repeatedly punching the ground, one fist after the other. Every time one of his fists connected with the floor my heart felt heavier and heavier. "Stop it" 'thud' "Stop it" 'thud' "STOP IT!" I screamed

Before my common sense could take over, I dashed full throttle at him, leaping over the broken tree trunks with ease and threw myself onto him flying us both through the air. I held onto him like my life depended on it, I was holding so tightly I didn't even feel us land on the floor. I landed on top of him and pinned him down (NOT IN THE RUDE WAY PEOPLE I don't do that kind of thing.)

"STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT!" he wasn't hitting the floor anymore but I screamed at him anyway. Tears where rolling down my cheeks and landing on his face. I continued screaming until my voice got horse, and then I just spoke it, over and over again, until I couldn't talk anymore.

I collapsed my head onto his shoulder crying, still holding him by the wrists so he couldn't punch the ground anymore. I had forgotten completely about him attacking me. I was now too worried about him to worry about myself. He could have swatted me away when I ran at him, he could of killed me but I had to try and I'm glad I did. I raised my head off his shoulder and looked him square in the eyes "look we can forget any of this ever happened; we can leave now; right now just please…please stop." I looked down trying to fight my tears but some still leaked out.

I felt Mr. Crepsley raise his arms and sit himself up. I was still sitting on his lap but I let go of his wrists and let my arms fall lifelessly down by my side. Suddenly I was forced against his chest. My chin landed on his shoulders, his hand was on the back of my head and his head was face down on my shoulder. I was shocked and I didn't move but then I flung my arms around him and I cried again. This time I wasn't sure why I was crying but I didn't try to stop it, I noticed Mr. Crepsley was sniffling and I could feel my shoulder getting wetter and I knew he too was crying.

"I am so sorry Darren." Mr. Crepsley managed to whisper into my ear and he held me tighter "I am so very sorry." He put his head back on my shoulder and cried some more. I didn't know what to say so decided just to rest my head on his shoulder and nuzzle my cheek up against him. After a while I sat back, and looked at his face. His hand was still on the back of my head, which his slid round to touch my cheek and he rubbed my tears away with his thumb repeatedly mouthing he was sorry.

He put both hands on my cheeks and looked wide eyed at me, his eyes full of regret and extreme sadness. He put his forehead up against mine and closed his eyes as he prayed to the Gods for help. We stayed like it for a while until he moved back and looked me over again; I noticed his eyes full onto my chest. My coat had come undone when I jumped at him and he could see the marks on my chest. I jumped up and fastened my coat up trying to hide what he already saw.

"It does not hurt." I put on a fake smile. The true was they were killing me but I would not tell him. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out.

"Look…erm I'm sorry about earlier, I should have known you were missing your family. I was just starting to feel, well, lonely and pushed out." I looked at the floor noticing how selfish it all sounded.

"Let me see." Mr. Crepsley said bluntly as he stud up and walked over to me.

"No, I do not think it would be a good idea." I crossed my arms over my chest but whimpered at the pain. Mr. Crepsley was standing up against me know, he had backed me up onto a tree and I never even realized. I knew I couldn't run away so I slowly unfolded my arms, and even more slowly I undid my coat to expose my chest.

Mr. Crepsley took two steps back and put his hand over his mouth "Did I really do that?" I knew he was asking a rhetorical question but I slowly nodded in agreement. He stared at my exposed chest a while longer then with no word of warning he collapsed.


	12. The Shock Of My Life

**Chapter 12 (Shock of my life.)**

I stared at the lifeless body of Mr. Crepsley in a heap on the floor. My mind was racing. What should I do?

(Shoulder Devil) * I know. I think you should leave him here. He did attack you and put you through some tuff shit.*

(Shoulder Angle) * He has been going through some rough times. He already told you he was missing his humanity and you know 100% he would never ever; EVER attack you purposely*

(SD) *Oh come off it. He attack you for no good reason what so ever! Don't forget this isn't the first time his hurt you! He FORCED you away from your humanity, your family, and your friends. You don't owe him a bloody thing.*

(SA) *That may be true, but his been here for you every step of the way. He let you see into his past and you KNOW that in itself shows you how much he loves you.*

(SD) * LOVE HA! Don't make me laugh. Ye I'm sure Darren remembers how his human dad attacking him out of love. I say we leave him. We owe him nothing, he brought this on himself.*

(SA) * Darren you know you love him to. You know you wouldn't be able to walk away, and even if you could you would take a few steps and run back to him. He is your vampiric dad, he taught you everything to know about being a vampire of good standing, he took you to vampire mountain and he was so proud of you when you passed your trials.*

(SD) * DARREN DON'T BE STUPID IT WAS HIS FAUILT YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH THOSE BLOODY TRIALS IN THE FIRST PLACE!*

(SA) * That might be true but he was there every step of the way, he carried you to bed when you were too tired to walk, he NEVER left your side when you were hospitalized after the hall of flames. He has never and will never walk away from you. Could you really walk away from him now? *

(SD) * Whatever. Just look at what his has done, look at your chest, those ugly scares you are stuck with for the rest of your lives! You will have to look at them for hundreds of years to come! He doesn't deserve help, he doesn't deserve you. All he deserves is an eternity alone! *

"STOP IT!" I shouted to no-one, I put my hands over my ears to block out the noise of my mental battle. I shook my head violently until all was quiet in my mind. I fell on my knees still covering my ears and cried once more. Confession and fear had taken over my entire body. Memories of the theatre basement all those years ago flooded to the surface, Mr. Crepsley blooding me, forcing me to give my own life to save a friend who was now out to kill me. That same person was now lying helpless.

(SD) *You did always say you would kill him if you ever got the chance…*

I snapped my eyes open. "I must be going mad. I can't kill Mr. Crepsley. He could attack me every day and I still couldn't kill him. I could never kill my dad… be he my human or my vampiric one." I crawled over to his still body and straightened him out so he was lying on his back. I went in search of my bag, finding it near a broken tree. I put it under his head as a pillow. Next I set to work on fixing a fire to keep him and myself warm.

A few hours had passed now; I sat every minute of that time watching Mr. Crepsley's body for any movement. I could feel my eyelids becoming heavier but I shook my head trying to keep awake. In the end shaking my head was no use so I did the next best thing; I started talking to the unconscious vampire.

"I remember when I saw you on stage for first time when Steve and I went to the Cirque Du Freaks. I didn't even know you were a vampire, even after Steve told me I still couldn't see it. I look back now and laugh at how silly I was all those years ago. Thinking vampires looked like the ones out of movies. Exploding into a pile of dust if even the smallest amount of sun touches you. Ha. I remember how scared I was when I came to you when Madam Octa bit Steve and I needed the antidote, you scared me out so much. Do not get me wrong you still do when your angry, but what can you do ay? I'm stuck with you I guess."

I looked over to him and just laughed, replying all the moments we shared, remembering when he first hugged me properly without getting embarrassed. A few tears escaped and rolled down my cheeks, to be honest I was missing him already.

"I couldn't imagine my life any other way. I'm glad I got stuck with you. I'm glad and honoured to be your student and I might not act like I appreciate you very much but I do, I really do. You're always there for me, always sticking up for me and believing in my abilities. To some degree you understand me more than my human parents ever did, with them it was always, 'go to school.' 'Do your homework', 'get a respectable job'; 'don't worry about choosing friends because we will just dislike them anyway.' But with you, you help me on whatever path I choose, ye you advise me and sometimes forbid me on doing things but I guess that's what being a parent is all about."

I looked down at my chest. The bleeding had stopped completely now. I realized that I still didn't have a shirt on under my coat and the night was starting to get colder. I cursed myself for not thinking about it before I decided to use my bag as a pillow for Mr. Crepsley. *PING* I had an idea. I wasn't the only one who had a bad of cloths. I got up in search of Mr. Crepsley's bag now. I found it and started rummaging through it until *Ta-da* I found a shirt which was of course red. I slipped it on and was amazed at how it wasn't to baggy. I was expecting it to swallow me up; maybe I was just lucky and picked the right one. I still had the roll the sleeves up a few times and took the bottom of the shirt into my trousers, but after some tweaking, I decided I looked acceptable and sat back in my original place.

"See look at what you have done. I now not only speak like you occasionally I'm dressing like you… when will this nightmare end? But I guess it's not so bad. I guess people were right that I should not see it as a bad thing it means I'm listening and paying attention to you. Not like I would admit that while you are awake mind you."

I sighed "Maybe I should get some sleep." I lay down where I was and stared at the sky. I tossed and turned and huffed and puffed. "God I can't sleep. Why is it you had to collapse silly old git?" I knew he couldn't see but I popped my tongue out at him anyway. Then I had a crazy idea. I looked nervously around even though I knew no-one was watching me, and when I knew the coast was clear I slowly crawled next to Mr. Crepsley. I could hear him breathing ever so slightly. I took one last look around and smiled delighted I could carry out my plan.

I lay side by side with Mr. Crepsley looking over at him, and then I shuffled my way closer and closer until our sides where touching. I poked him in the ribs to see if he was still knocked out and when he didn't react or wake up, I ever so slowly rolled onto my side, so I was facing him, I slowly put my arm across his belly. He took a sharp intake of breath when my arm touched him and I shot across to the opposite side of the camp fire fearing I had had woke him up. After 5 minutes of silence I nervously turned over to face him worried he would just be staring at me, but lucky for me he was still out.

I went through the whole routine again, until I finally managed to put my arm over him without him flinching. I then slowly lowered my head onto his chest. "Yes" I whispered to myself. I closed my eyes and smiled at the sound of his slow and steady heartbeat. Funny thing was I was so happy just to be close to him again I wasn't tied anymore, I kept my eyes closed but could hear everything going on around me.

I found Mr. Crepsley's heart beat extremely relaxing. "I'm glad I chose to come with you then stay as a human." I told him, I wasn't expecting a reply, nor did I get one, well not a spoken one anyway. After I said what I did his arm came around me and held me tighter to his chest while his other hand was holding my arm that was draped over his belly.

I could feel tears threatening to break free but I swallowed them away and smiled instead, and this time when I closed my eyes I went fast to sleep, reminiscing all the good times Mr. Crepsley and I had shared together over the years.

I woke up the next night by a hand rubbing the top of my head. I opened one eye lazily to see what was going on. I yarned and decided it was nothing to worry about and was about to go back to sleep.

"Come on, I think you have been asleep long enough, get up." I didn't register at all who was talking.

"Shhh, trying to sleep." I said still half asleep. I closed my eyes and snuggled back down onto Mr. Crepsley chest.

"Darren as comfortable as I may be, night is wearing on, and we need to get a move on." Mr. Crepsley rubbed my head again.

"Ha see I know you're lying so there."

"Oh really and how would you know?"

"Mr. Crepsley is unconscious."

"Well Darren you have got me there, but has it not yet occurred to you that people who collapse do eventually wake up."

I snapped my eyes open. I was wide awake now. I slowly lifted my head off his chest and slowly turned to look at his face. I was really confused, Mr. Crepsley had not moved, his eyes where still closed and everything. I sat up next to him.

"I must be going mad. I could have sworn he was talking to me just a moment ago." I scratched my head. *Maybe his trying to trick me* I slyly smiled and narrowed my eyes. As quietly as I could I went face to face with him and stared at his closed eye lids. *Any minuet know he will snap his eyes open trying to scare me or something.* but nothing not even a twitch.

After a while I gave up and sat back down my back facing away from him, I was messing with the grass still confussed when out of now where from behind me two arms latched themselves around my chest and belly and dragged me backwards.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" I scared out of fear. My mind was racing as to what it could be that was attacking me. I started fighting back but my attacker managed to grab my hands and keep them in place. I was on my back now on top of my attacker's chest; I was kicking my legs around wildly trying to hit my attacker but they managed to doge every blow. I was done for, I couldn't move, I couldn't hit him and I didn't have Mr. Crepsley to help me, I was waiting for the final blow to come.

I shut my eyes tight waiting…waiting…waiting…After some time I slowly opened my eyes. *Maybe he killed me so quickly I didn't even realise.* everything was quiet when out of nowhere I heard a loud laugh from behind me. I was completely and utterly confused.


	13. Lost And All Alone

**Chapter 13 (Lost and all alone.)**

The person laughing behind me put his hand on my head and ruffled my hair. Then let go of my wrists and just lay underneath me catching their breath. It took a while for me to get over the shock of what was happening and when I turned around I was ready to explode.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WHERE PLAYING AT! YOU SCARED THE LIFE OUT OF ME!" I punched Mr. Crepsley in the arm, got off him, sat on the floor and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Oh do not be mad." He said through his laughter "How could I resist. I will however admit I did almost 'blow it' when you came face to face with me." He sat up and draped one of his long arms over my shoulders.

"Well it wasn't funny, I could of seriously hurt you; you know." I elbowed him in the ribs trying to hide my smile.

"Please. I would eat my hat if you could have seen that one coming." Mr. Crepsley started laughing again and this time I joined in with him.

We were laughing so hard we both ended up on our backs, Mr. Crepsley still had his arm around me and ruffled me hair again. After we managed to calm down we sat back up and I smiled at him. "We have not laughed that hard since our sand castle experience." And with that said we both again started laughing at the memories of it.

"I see you found one of my shirts to fit you then?" Mr. Crepsley asked tugging lightly at the red collar sticking up from under my black coat.

"Ye I was getting cold last night and because my bag was being 'used' I had to go for option two." I undid my coat and pulled down the sleeves. "However there a bit baggy." I smiled

"I think red is your colour. It suits you extremely well."

"Ye well do not get any ideas, I'm not going to start wearing yours and Seba's crazy get up." I said as I tugged lightly on his red cloak. "The only thing I could tolerate is the red shirt and the trousers. That's IT. The cloak is a bit over the top for my likings. But I really could not picture you in normal clothing." I looked up at him and noticed he was steering off into the distance.

"Mr. Crepsley…are you ok?" I got onto my knees in front of him trying to make eye contact. He looked at me for a few seconds with tearful eyes and looked at his lap. He brought his knees up to his chin and wrapped his cloak around him tightly, using it as a shield to block something out.

I was going to walk away and leave him to it but I couldn't. I crawled closer to him and grabbed his hands with my own. He didn't look at me but I could see a small smile crossing his face as more tears rolled down his cheeks. I slowly started to prise his cloak from around him and held his hands once more.

"What's the matter?" I looked at him hoping and praying to the vampire gods he would talk to me. For a while he said nothing then.

"How can you forgive me Darren?"

"Forgive you. What do I need to…?" I had forgotten about my scratches. I looked at the floor trying to think of something to comfort him. "I know you would never do something like that on purpose. Anyway there not that deep."

"But how can you laugh and joke with me after I did that despicable act to you?" I could feel him trying to force his hands out of mine but I wasn't having any of it.

"Look!" I didn't shout at him but I made it so he knew I was being deadly serious. "You are all I have left. If it was just you and me for the rest of my life I wouldn't care. As long as I'm with you I feel safe and even after this." I pointed to my chest. "I still need you. You're my mentor and my best friend and no silly little accident will change that."

"But what I have done is unforgivable." He looked at me square in the eyes and continued. "I truly would not blame you if you wanted another mentor." He slid his hands from my grasp. He smiled at me lovingly. "I would not stop you if you never wanted to talk to me, but I just want you to know these past years have been the most meaningful of my whole life."

I stared into his eyes not really understanding what he was saying. Did he really think I could just replace him? Wasn't he listening when I said I needed him? I opened my mouth to talk but nothing was coming out. He smiled again and stood to walk away. But he took one last look at me

"I love you Darren like a son, and I cannot live with what I have done to you." Then he turned and flitted away.

I stared at the spot he once was. *His gone* I stood up and stared in the direction he flitted off in. *His gone* one step at a time I walked forward. *His gone.* tears rolling down my cheek. *His gone.* my steps quickened in pace. *His gone.* I was jogging. *His gone* I was running full pace in a desperate attempt to fine him.

*Come back.* I leaped over a fallen tree. *Come back* I stopped to catch my breath and quickly looked around. *Come back.* I started off again. *Come back.* I was lost but if I kept to this line I would fine him. Or would I? *Come back.* I blinked tears from my eyes to try and clear my vision. *Come back please.*

I had been running for 4 hour now nonstop. I fell to the floor exhausted, tied, scared and alone. I was losing my mind, he had only been gone 4 hour and I was a wreck. I heard rustling from behind a bush. I shoot my head up. "Mr. Crepsley?" I got to my feet, the bush parted and a deer walked through. I was devastated. I was going to cry but something else took over anger.

I pounced the nearest tree until my knuckles where all broken and bloody. I pulled at my hair and my cloths, punched and kicked more trees and fell to my knees in tears.

"Come back please, come back, I need you. Please." Silence was my only reply. I doubled over and punched the floor. "PLEASE!" and again only silence.

"MR. CREPSLEY COME BACK PLEASE!" I punched the floor once more and rested my head against a cool patch of ground. I was crying so loudly I heard my own cries echo back at me.

After a while I stopped crying and stood up. I wiped my eyes on my sleeve. I looked at the red shirt I was wearing. *This was his shirt.* I smiled of all things to do I smiled. I looked in the direction I had been running in earlier and set off again. This time with a new motivation and no force of earth would stop me from finding him.

The further I ran the bigger my smile got. I remembered when I first cooked for him in the church when he first blooded me, the way he laughed when I was trying to make an old silver cross jump into my hand, the way he first ruffled my hair, the proud way he would smile at me when he thought I wasn't looking. Everything that happened between me and him may not have always been good but there were more good times then bad.

This incident that happened was just another hurdle for us to get over. Right now however I had to get over the hurdle of finding him. Luckily dawn was fast approaching and I knew he would have to stop and that is when I would catch him.


	14. Salvation

**Chapter 14 (Salvation.)**

I sat on the bank of a river and watched as the water rushed past me. I could hear tiny pebbles being forced along with the current. It was all very relaxing even in my time of distress. I had been running for 2 hours nonstop until I reached this river. I decided this, a good a place as any to have a quick rest and grab something to drink. I gave my face a quick wash in the river water to wash all my dried tears away, and set off once again in the pursuit of my mentor.

Dawn would be rising in another hour or so, but I knew I couldn't keep this up much longer. I couldn't feel my legs at all; it was like running on air. I had cuts and bruises everywhere from where I had tripped or caught myself on a low hanging branches or thorn bushes. The closer it got to dawn the more I was losing hope. I knew he could last a few hours in the sun without getting too badly burnt; he could decide to run on through the dawn as well. If he chose to do that I would never catch up to him, I can't flit, granted I can run faster than any human but compared to a full blooded vampire I had no chance.

I kept running regardless of the risk I had come this far and I wasn't going to stop now. The thought had occurred to me that maybe he didn't flit in a straight line, he could of turn left or right at any given time, but oddly enough I knew he was along this line, and I don't believe my legs would have allowed me to come off this line even if I wanted to.

At my next rest point I decided to take in the scenery just encase I was running through a place I had been before. Unfortunately I didn't recognise anything. I was on a rocky mountain area, a few trees dotted here and there. The land seems to suddenly disappear after a while which confused me; I jogged over and noticed I was standing on the side of a cliff. I had never even realised I was anywhere near a cliff. I was miles away from the sea so I knew water wouldn't be at the bottom of it. I lay on the ground and inched my way over to peek at what lay beneath.

It was like the end of the world, for miles all I could see was blackness. I scurried back when I started to feel a bit sick and the thought of falling in took its toll. I turned around after I was a safe distance from the edge of the cliff and looked around again. I could see a small flicker of light coming from within the belly of the trees in the far distance. Maybe Mr. Crepsley had stopped and set up camp there? It was a long shot but I decided to investigate.

The closer I got the more my heart started pounding. I could feel it was him, finally after hours of searching I had found him. Tears started rolling down my cheeks, and my pace quickened into a sprint. I rushed into the clearing where the fire blazed and there, standing tall, adjusting his cape was Mr. Crepsley.

He back was facing me and I knew he didn't even realise I was there. I stood staring at him, I was so happy I actually found him I couldn't move. I tried talking but no words came out. I stood there for 5 minutes not saying a thing and Mr. Crepsley not even noticing me. I managed to take a step in his direction. I was light headed and scared I would faint. I reached my hand out to grab him but he slipped through my fingers. He flung his bag onto his shoulder and I knew he was about to flit away again.

Without thinking I jumped at him and grabbed him from behind. My arms where around his stomach, and my face was buried in his back. I was sobbing my heart out. He didn't move for a while. I could hear his heart beat quicken.

"Why did you leave me?" I managed to ask through my tears. I felt his entire body stiffen.

"Darren?" he asked unsure if it was really me holding onto him. At the mere mention of him saying my name I tightened my grasp on him. Making 100% sure I wouldn't lose him this time.

"Why didn't you come back?" I had managed to stop crying though every now and again tears would fall freely. I wanted to turn him around and hug him and he could hug me, but I was so scared if I let go he might flit away, so I stayed attached to his back.

"How did you find me?" Mr. Crepsley grabbed my hands which were clinging onto fist falls of his shirt and tried to get me to let go. I held on tighter and forced myself to hug him harder. "Darren you need to let go."

"NO! If I let go…you'll leave me again." I could feel fresh tears rolling down my cheeks now and being absorbed by his cloak.

"Darren I just want to turn around. I will not flit anywhere." He was talking in a very soothing voice trying to calm me down.

"NO! You will you'll run and I'll be alone again. I don't want to be alone again."

"Darren I promise I will not, all I want to do is turn around."

"You promise." I barely whispered. I never thought he would hear me

"Yes I promise." I slowly started to let go of him one hand at a time. Mr. Crepsley could tell I was so scared of him running away and mentally kicked himself for doing this to me. When my first hand had completely released its grip of him he held me hand in him. I was shocked at first, I wasn't sure what he was doing, but then I realised he was just doing it to help me. I held his hand gratefully and let him go completely. He turned around to face me.

I was looking at the floor. I was too scared to look up just in case I was imaging it all and if I looked up he wouldn't be there. Mr. Crepsley stood in front of my for a while just looking at me, he saw all the cuts and bruises and felt even more guilty. The wind had picked up dramatically since I had last stopped but I didn't really notice. I was numb. My entire body was numb, I couldn't even think of anything to say.

Mr. Crepsley was'nt very good at tender moments like this. He was shuffling around on the spot unsure of what he was supposed to be doing. But I guess something inside him took over like a parental instinct, he placed both hands on my shoulders and guided me closer to him. When I was mere millimetres away he wrapped his arms around me and stroked the back of my head and back.

At the very moment he put his arms around me, I flung mine around him and held him tightly. I buried my face into his chest and started to cry again.

"How did you fine me Darren?" Mr. Crepsley whispered

"I don't know. I just ran until I found you here." Mr. Crepsley moved and looked at me.

"You ran all the way here?" he sounded quite shocked but I just nodded in agreement. "But why?"

"Weren't you listening to me before you flitted off? I told you I didn't want you to leave, I told you if I had nothing else in the world it wouldn't matter as long as I still had you, even if I never saw the Cirque again I wouldn't care. I need you."

"I really did not think you would want me around after this."

I smiled and took a step back from him. "Oh please, we have been through tons of stuff together; you really think I'm going to let some silly thing like this get in the way."

Mr. Crepsley didn't say anything just looked at me and smiled. I could tell what I had just said meant a lot to him. In truth all we had was each other now. Neither of us had family's, well I did but I couldn't really go back and go *ta da* I'm back from the dead… that would be very awkward. My family was Mr. Crepsley and he was all I needed.

I yawned all the running I had done was really catching up with me know. I looked up at Mr. Crepsley with half closed eyes. "Are we going to start heading to *yawn* vampire mountain?" I shook my head trying to wake up but it was no good.

"Not today, I think you should sleep, you have had a very tiring day." He said as he led me to a nearby tree where his bag was. He helped me get on the ground and lay my head on his bag as a pillow, stroked my head and got up.

I grabbed his cloak with tremendous speed. My eyes where closed and I was almost asleep. "Don't go again." I felt his body move back to the ground, where he lay opposite me. He moved closer to me so my head was leaning against his chest. He moved his cloak around and covered the two of us with it. Where he held me while I slept. Making a silent promise to him and to me that he would never leave me again.


	15. Make Ups & Break Ups

**Chapter 15 (Make ups & break ups.)**

"So did I miss anything while I was away?" David asked throwing his bag on the floor.

"Not really, Things have been pretty dull lately." I ran my hand over my chest where my scars where. It had been 2 months now since the day Mr. Crepsley "attacked" me, but we were back to normal, he would sometimes go off into a day dream most likely remembering it but I would always hug him and bring him back round.

"Waw, sound delightful." David looked up to the sky, He and Red had returned a few days ago with an unexpected guest, he called himself Nick, he was a little taller than me, bright blue eyes, brown short spiky hair, I hated every last bit of him...

"Hay Darren… Earth to Darren." David clicked his fingers in front of my face and snapped me out of my hated trance.

"Sorry I was just thinking." I lent up against a tree and rested my hands behind my head.

"Let me guess about Nick?" he looked at me with a cheeky smile. He knew I wasn't the biggest fan of Nick but luckily neither was David. Red would moan at us sometimes when we spoke quietly, she said we was planning on killing him. One night she decided she and i needed to talk about it.

"You know his not that bad. His a vampire, so why not just try and get along with him?" Red stood in front of me nose to nose. I so badly wanted to kiss her but also I wanted to push her away; I had made a promise to make our year together go as quickly as possible and to give Red a taste of her own medicine after she made a fool out of me all those months ago. I closed my eyes trying to calm down; remembering that always made me mad…how smug she looked when she told me it was all a joke it annoyed the hell out of me. I snapped my eyes open and when I heard someone clear there throat. At first I thought it was Mr. Crepsley or David but when I looked I saw it was Nick.

"I'm not interrupting anything am I?" He gave me a very satisfied smile knowing how much I hated having him around.

"Well actually…" I started but Red butted in.

"No not at all." She walked over to Nick leaving me by the tree in a state of shock. "What's up?"

"David just wanted me to check up on you and the other breed." He gave a nudge of his head in my direction referring to me.

"You need to watch your mouth, before someone rearranges your face." I said not even looking at him.

"Sorry half breed what was that?" Nick took a few steps towards me.

"What you're deaf as well as stupid? Who would have guessed?" I gave him the same satisfied smile he had given me not to long ago.

"Stop it you two!" Red was standing in the middle of us arms out trying to stop a full blown fight.

Nick just smiled and put his arm around reds shoulders. "Calm down babe, I was only having a laugh with him; a half breed like him isn't worth my time." He looked over to me "Come back when you're actually something or someone. Or better yet come back when you don't need a baby sitter, haha" he started to walk away with red still attached to him

"Screw you; you worthless piece of shit!" I was ready to rip his throat out right know.

He stopped suddenly and turned to face me, looking extremely pissed off. "You need to learn your place. Maybe I should teach you." He jumped at me with wicked speed and I managed to just dodge it…barely.

As he went flying past me I buried my knee into his stomach causing him to double over. I jumped back so he couldn't lash out at me. "You'll pay for that you filthy half breed."

He stood up and wiped blood from his mouth and charged me again. I raised my arms across my face to block his attack. His attack was so powerful I heard the bones in my arms crack. I gritted my teeth but ignored the pain. I sent a few punched to his face and a right hook that connected his jaw beautifully sending him flying into a tree. He got up looking at me with such anger; it sent a chill down my spine. I quickly looked round to see where Red was but I couldn't see her.

"Arr you worried for Red, oh please, you do know she likes me better than she ever will you. Or are you waiting for Mr tall dark in red to come and save you." He started laughing. I was so angry I just went flying at him hoping to plant my nails into his skull, but I only managed to scratch his cheek deep but not deep enough for him to give up. He managed to get a hold of my shirt and ripped the front clean off exposing my long scars. He laughed wildly. "So he really did beat you!" he continued to laugh and I lost it.

I was pounding his face in with every blow I screamed at him to shut the fuck up, he pushed me off of him and throw me into a tree. We carried on throwing punch after punch at each other. As I threw a punch he grabbed my arm and put his mouth by my ear whispering a message I would never forget.

He let me go and I sunk to my knees, eyes wide open, shocked at what he had just told me. "Think about it Darren." He was straightening his cloths up and wiping off blood. "You know it's true, you could smell me all over her." And he walked away laughing.

I heard 3 sets of footsteps running towards me, but I couldn't move. I felt a hand on my shoulder and knew it was Mr. Crepsley's. "Darren what in paradises name happened here?" I closed my eyes and stood up and turned to face everyone. I could feel everyone's eyes burning on my exposed chest. I heard the ruffling of cloths and felt a heavy weight on my shoulders. Mr. Crepsley had taken off his cloak and tried to cover me with it. I nodded my thanks and signalled him to come closer so I could tell him something.

He bent down so I could whisper in his ear. I gave him a quick explanation of what had happened but left out the message Nick had told me. He stood straight again and scratched his long scar. "I see, hmm, we will deal with this in time, as for now, we need to go and fix your broken arms." I looked shocked at Mr. Crepsley.

How did he know? I had completely forgotten about my broken arms. I smiled up at him silently telling him that he never ceases to amaze me. He put his arm around my shoulders and led me back to where we had made camp. David quickly rushed off for his First Aid kit, and Red smiled at me but was only given the cold shoulder in return.

Mr. Crepsley bandaged my arms up after covering them in some horrible smelling plant dew. He told me that it was like medicine. "If it smells nasty it's good for you." *pisk* ye right.

David walked over to us and knelt down. "You've got balls Darren I'll give you that." He smiled at me and turned to Mr. Crepsley "Can I steal you for a moment, I need a word?"

"Whatever it is you may say here, I hide nothing from Darren." Mr. Crepsley looked down at me and saw the giant smile plastered on my face.

"Please Larten, if you choose to tell him later that is you're business, as for me I will not say in front of him." He smiled at me apologising for the secrecy. Mr Crepsley was about to object. "You might as well, don't worry I'm not going anywhere." I said to him waving my bandaged arms at him. He smiled, stood and walked away with David.

I was staring into the fire when I could feel Red standing next to me just out of sight. I didn't turn around, I just grunted to let her know I knew she was there. She came and sat down next to me and held her knees close to her chin. "How you feeling?" I didn't reply I just stared at the fire. "Darren what's wrong, why won't you talk to me?" I looked her square in the face and barely whispered. "Why not go and ask Nick" and turned back to the fire.

Red looked at me shocked "Why what did he say?" I was Silent. "Darren! What did he say to you?" I took a deep breath about to speak.

"While we were fighting he managed to tell me something, and as much as I hate to admit it he was right. Since you got back here I've smelt him on you, not just on your cloths but on your skin as well." I could see Reds eyes filling with tears but I carried on regardless. "I didn't know what it meant at first but then… Then he told me the reason why, he told me the first night you and him meet you slept with him and every night after you slept with him. He told me you would wait till David was asleep and go some distance away so he…so he couldn't hear you scream his name." I felt the anger building up in me again. And I looked to Red. She was crying staring at me through tear filled eyes.

"So no I'm not alright, I'm far from ALRIGHT!" I was angry at her, she had played me again, we had both agreed on a year and nothing can break that agreed time, it wasn't just my way it was her way as well. "You think I'm stupid! Did you really think I wouldn't find out?"

"Darren pleases. Let me explain please." She tried to hold my shoulder but I nudged her off.

"No you don't need to explain, I'm not interested, go be with Nick I hope he gets to see the many faces of Red like I've been so 'honoured' to see." I managed to stand up and try and walk away but she ran in front of me.

"Please Darren please let me explain, I was missing you and…"

"And you thought sleeping with him would make you feel better, God your worse than I thought! A year was the agreed time. A FUCKING YEAR! We only had 2 months left then you could have done as you please! Both our races believe in the agreed time you have no excuse!"

"Darren please don't get angry I love you I really do."

"Don't make me laugh, you're just a slut! You know I really didn't think you would go this low, breaking your own races laws for a quick shag." Ever since I decided to take being a vampire as my whole life I made it my mission to be a vampire of good standing, and it annoyed me when others would just throw it all away for nothing.

I walked away leaving her there all alone crying. I knew she was crying out of fear that I might tell David and Mr. Crepsley, she didn't care about me at all. I didn't look back, I had to find Mr. Crepsley, I had to leave and I had to leave KNOW!

I found them sitting by a river. I didn't make eye contact or look at either of them I just walked by. "Mr. Crepsley I'm leaving right now. You can come with me or don't that's your choose, but I'm gone."

"What's going on?" David looked worriedly at me and saw the anger all over my face.

Mr. Crepsley jumped up told David to look after me and not to let me leave then stormed off to camp, ready to destroy the person responsible for all of my pain and anger.

While Mr. Crepsley was on his hunt. I sat and explained everything, every last detail to David, and after hearing the story he stood and went in search for Red to get some answers. Leaving me alone by the river watching the water rush by.


	16. The Hunt Is On

**Chapter 16 (The hunt is on.)**

"Larten, Larten wait up."

"David I told you to stay with Darren, this does not concern you, he is my assistant and I shall deal with this." David managed to get in front of Mr. Crepsley and stop him in his tracks. He placed a hand on his shoulder and after catching a few gasps of air managed to speak.

"Larten believe me it does concern me, I'm not stupid I would of followed your order to the letter but considering its Red who had put him in this state, I think I have a right to be here just as much as you have."

Mr. Crepsley look dumb faced at David, he was dead set on going after Nick that he never considered the possibility that Red could be behind all this. The fact he never thought of this just made him even angrier. Mr. Crepsley was about to march off after the retch when he felt David's grip on his shoulder tighten.

"Look Larten I don't blame you for wanting to go and give her a dame good seeing to, believe me I do as well, but at least let me tell you what Darren has told me."

Mr. Crepsley started to calm down after a while, that was until David came to the end of his story. David looked at Mr. Crepsley's face and could only see anger, he knew better than anyone not to mess with a vampire especially Mr. Crepsley when he was mad or extremely annoyed. "Larten I know it's hard but you need to calm down, honestly, look I know she has hurt Darren and broken a law but if you go in there like this you will snap her in half. And all things considered she is still my assistant; I am the one who should deliver punishment not you."

"Fine punishment will be left to you. Even though you are not a vampire I will respect your decision and agree to any punishment given, but if you do not punish her, I will drag her to Vampire Mountain myself and see to it the Princes will." With that said Mr. Crepsley flicked his cloak behind him and walked off on the hunt for Red followed closely by David who could not stop shaking his head in pure disbelief.

Red sat on the cold ground, her knees as close to her chin as possible. It had started lightly raining but she didn't care. She looked up to where Darren had walked off and left her, a few tears of fear started to fall, followed by more and more until she was sobbing again.

"Red you're such a fool. He could have been the best thing ever to come into your life, all because you couldn't wait a couple of months. I'm so stupid; I'm in so much shit if he's told David or Crepsley." She started biting her finger pondering the problem she had landed herself in.

"You're telling me." Red shot up in shock and looked around to see who had spoken. It took her a while to focus through all the tears but she could make out a person leaning up against a tree on the opposite side of the fire to her. She let out a sign of relief when it realised it was neither David nor Mr. Crepsley. She slowly watched as Nick walked out into the open.

"You know what, to be honest I'm glad you played him, honestly I am; he needed to be put in his place, the filthy half breed, you should have seen the look on his face when I told him." Nick started to laugh hysterically

"This is your entire fault, 2 months that's all you had to be quiet for 2 god dame months!" Red started running over to him ready to attack but was only greeted by him pushing her away. She landed on the floor hitting her head off a log. She rubbed her head and looked up at him.

"Basterd!"

"Oh come on, you really think I'm letting you anywhere near me, after the shit your about to get me in."

"THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF YOU!"

"Well actually none of this is my fault, I didn't know you and he where 'together' you let me believe you were free and single and I did what any other free and single person would have done."

"SHUT UP! YOU CAME ONTO ME; you said you could keep this quiet, you may not give a shit about our laws but these people do." Red was beginning to get very angry she knew it was her own fault but she was going to try and blame it on Nick no matter what.

"You really need to learn how to take responsibility for your actions anyway, but I guess you'll have to very shortly." Nick looked over to a small clearing where footsteps could be faintly heard and started walking back to where he first came into camp.

Red looked up at him scared and confused "What do you mean?"

"Shush you'll see in about oh 5 seconds." Nick took a step back so he was just out of sight. Red kept a close watch of the clearing and complete fear took over when a red faced Mr. Crepsley and a disappointed looking David walked through.

She had no time to hide or even stand up; Mr. Crepsley had a hold of her by the arm and was dragging her over to the fire where David had decided to sit. Once Mr. Crepsley's released her she threw her arms around David and started to cry. "Larten." This was all David had to say and Mr. Crepsley grabbed her by the arm again and dragged her off of him.

"David, please, his hurting me, tell him to let go, I'm sorry."

"Enough."

"But David, please…"

"I SAID ENOUGH!" David's bellow could be herd for miles, it even made me jump I looked over in the direction of camp, I was in two minds whether or not to check it out I stood up and faced camp and decided to go have a look see what was going on. When I reached camp I slowly walking into the clearing when I saw David sitting on a log eyes closed and Mr. Crepsley fighting to keep Red on the floor.

"Darren, what are you doing here?" David asked without opening his eyes.

"Darren you do not want to be here, go back and wait for me by the river!" Mr. Crepsley let go of Red (who shot back over to David,) and walked over to me, before he could say a word I put my arms around Mr. Crepsley and hug him. "Please don't send me away; I really don't want to be alone right now."

"Darren this is not for you to see, what she has done is unforgivable and she must be punished." He looked over to David who was managing to keep Red from attaching herself to him.

"You have already taught me that intermit relations with another vampire or human whilst with or promised to another is against vampire law, I know she has to be punished but you can't shield me from this it does involve me besides what if it happens again?" I knew he didn't want me to be here but I knew I had a good point it did involve me so I should be here.

"It shall not ever happen again because this is only case I have heard of as long as I have been a vampire. You know how seriously we taking mating even for something as short as a year." He looked at me hoping he would talk me out of staying.

"Mr. Crepsley I'm not going anywhere." He could see it in my eyes i was not going to budge and this is a fight he couldn't win.

Mr. Crepsley smiled at how grown up I had become and ruffled my hair. "Then you must sit over there and be quiet, myself and David have to sort this out." He quickly smiled at me and went back to concentrating at the job at hand.

He walked back over to David and dragged Red off him once more. There was silence for a while, the only thing that could be herd was red trying to plead with Mr. Crepsley to let her go. The silence was soon broken by David.

"You understand what you have done is an act against yourself and all the different vampire clans, you have brought shame against my name and dishonour to your own." I could tell this was killing David; he would have to live with this same for an extremely long time considering he was immortal.

"You have no right to speak of the vampire clan, you aren't part of it." Red spat at David. David stood up and approached Mr. Crepsley and he bowed his head to him.

"Larten Crepsley, as a former general, do you give your approval so I may speak of the vampire clan as if I were a part of it myself?"

Mr. Crepsley placed a hand on David bowed head. "As my friend for many years I now you will not say anything to offend or belittle our clan, I grant you permission." David stood, bowed once again to Mr. Crepsley who bowed back. David returned to his seat in front of Red.

"If you were in Vampire Mountain, this would be out of my hands and the princes would be forced to pass judgement on you. However be it the luck of the vampire god's or not, we are not at Vampire Mountain so therefore I must pass punishment. Do you understand?"

"Look just because some former general gave his 'permission' doesn't mean I'm going to listen to you preach about something you have no clue of, I would much rather a vampire pass punishment on me then you." Unfortunately for Red, she really didn't think about what she was saying.

"Then we shall put you before a vampire, Larten, as the oldest and only full blooded vampire here, I must regrettably leave this in your capable hands." David stood up and walked over to Darren, when he was sitting comfortably i asked "Is all this necessary?"

"Vampires take cheating on their mates or mates-to-be extremely seriously, and as a vampire yourself, you too must take it seriously."

"I know that Mr. Crepsley has already explained this mating in our lessons. I meant do we need to go through this ritual?"

"I personally don't know much about it. You should ask Larten when his finished."

"I feel sorry for her; I would not want Mr. Crepsley passing judgment on me. I would much rather you."

"I understand and respect the vampire clan enough to know where my place is, Larten could have taken this into his own hands the moment it started and I would have been powerless to stop him."

"Mr. Crepsley must really trust and respect you."

"I hope he does, we have been friends for many years, his a hard man to please but he is very admirable the way he loves and respects his culture, to many people have forgotten there culture's I'm just glad Larten is not one of them, you should try and be like him Darren not in every way but in some, you couldn't have asked for a better mentor." With that David's full attention was on Mr. Crepsley and Red. I just put a hand on my chest where my scratches where and silently agreed to try and follow more in Mr. Crepsley's way. I turned my attention to the scene unfolding in front of me.

"Do you understand the severity of the situation you have put yourself?" Mr. Crepsley asked in an eerily calm voice.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Red asked confused.

"Do you understand how much shit you're in?" He asked again less calm this time, I was taken back at hearing him swear but tried not to draw attention to myself.

"Look no one even knew we said we would date for a year, not you not David no-one so you can't say anything." Red spat trying to sound confident.

"The Gods knew and when you make a mating agreement no matter how short or long you have to be faithful 100%."

"Ye well you may believe in some stupid Gods but I don't so I don't really care what you say."

"Do you also not care that you have slandered David's good name." His eerily calm voice was back and even I felt shivers of fear when he spoke.

"Look read my lips I don't care, ye I liked Darren at the start but after I found out he couldn't take a joke I didn't want a stupid agreement with him and if Nick could of just kept his mouth shut for another 2 months none of this would be happening." She was about to carry on but she was interrupted by Mr. Crepsley grabbing her around the throat. I was expecting David to run over and stop him but he stayed as still as stone just watching.

"I have heard enough of your blasphemous mouth, you have no respect for any vampire clan and you do not have any respect for yourself or others. I have heard enough of your voice, be grateful girl, if you were at the mountain your tongue would be cut out for such a lack of respect." And with that he threw her back on the floor and stood up, he pointed down to her "You have shown no remorse no regret nothing, you have shown not just us but the Gods themselves that you are not worthy of your vampiric gift, when you die may you suffer an eternity wondering this world alone forever." Mr. Crepsley took out a piece of metal out of his pocket and threw it on the fire. I heard David gasp and asked him what was going on.

"It is normal punishment for someone who has been unfaithful to be marked so even when they die the Gods can see they are unworthy of paradise."

"You mean he is going to brandish her..." I gulped maybe I should of left when I had the chance.

"It has been written that you either make the unfaithful hold the metal in their mouth, or you leave a mark on their face or hands…and because he has just told her off for talking such blasphemy…" He didn't finish his sentence he really didn't need to I got the picture. I prayed Mr. Crepsley didn't make her stick it in her mouth, I felt sick just thinking about it.

While David and I were talking Mr. Crepsley had tied her to a tree and collected the now white hot metal piece from the fire using the cooking tongs that came with his collapsible cooking pots. He started walking over to Red when David stood up and walked over to him, without saying a word Mr. Crepsley handed David the tongs careful not to drop the metal and came and sat next to me, I was scared at what was going to happen and I looked at Mr. Crepsley for advice. "I would not watch this next part Darren." It was all I needed to hear I hid my head in his chest and he covered my ears with his hands and held me tightly.

David walked over to Red who was crying and pleading frantically for him to stop and just let her go, you could hear the sadness and tears in David's voice I didn't need to see to hear he was crying, "I'm sorry, so sorry." There was a loud sizzling noise and I felt Mr .Crepsley's hands tighten around my ears but no matter what I heard her screaming in pain, I felt like I was going to be sick but held it back, I knew Vampires took mating seriously but I never imagined they would be this serious about it. Her scream stopped abruptly as she passed out through pain. I stayed where I was a little while longer until I felt Mr .Crepsley take his hands off my ears.

I looked around to see Red passed out of the floor with a horrible deep burn on her cheek and David looking over her with tears freely falling down his face.


	17. Fleeting Dreams

**Chapter 17 (Sweet memories.)**

I ran as fast as I could. I couldn't look back. What I did was unforgivable. I had to get away. Away from them and more importantly, away from him. He had look after me for so long, for so many years and this… this is how I repay him.

The sun was glaring in my face, its heat hitting my entire body; I didn't deserve the heat, not with what I had become. I only deserved to be cold and alone for eternity. I trip and hit the ground hard my head was bleeding but I just got back up and ran I could worry about it later all that mattered was I got away.

Hours must of past, the night was drawing in and I knew 100% he would be waking up soon, he would notice I've gone and come flitting after me. NO I couldn't let him catch me. I kept running until I got to the edge of a cliff. I looked down and noticed the waves harshly beating at the cliff side. I looked around franticly trying to find an escape route. I turned and saw him coming towards me through the trees. He court up with me faster than I ever thought possible. He covered miles in seconds where it took me hours. I was trapped.

I turned to face him and looked at him. He reached out to me tears falling from his eyes. I was crying to I could barely see him through my tears. As he took a step forward I took one back until I was right on the edge of the cliff. I took a look behind me then back to him.

"Darren. Come on. Please." Mr. Crepsley took one more step towards me his arm still stretched out to me taking slow and steady steps to me.

"I'm so sorry, I failed you, I failed you big time." I smiled at him and stretched both my arms out to the side. I pushed myself back off the cliff edge, everything moved in slow motion. I saw Mr. Crepsley run at me making a frantic grab for my clothing but missed. I saw him fall to his knees as he watched me fall. I saw the tears and pain on his face as he watched helpless to stop any of it. The last thing I could remember was hearing him scream "DARREN!" and then I hit the ground hard.

I bolted up straight screaming, I didn't know where I was. I looked around in a panic, tears freely falling from my eyes. I was about to get up and run still stuck in whatever dream I had just had when I felt a firm hand squeezing my shoulder; I looked up and saw it was Mr. Crepsley. The moment I knew who it was I flung my arms around his neck and freely sobbed on his shoulder.

"Shush," he said stroking my head "calm down, was it another nightmare?" I nodded and felt rather embarrass, I had been a vampire almost 15 years now and I was still heavily reliant of Mr. Crepsley. If I was honest I was scared of growing up into my own vampire, because then I would have to leave him the thought of being alone scared me more than anything.

I wiped the tears off my cheeks and tried to straighten myself out. "You now it might be good to talk about your nightmares."

"No, I have embarrassed myself enough; I would hate to embarrass you as well."

"As you wish, but Darren I am here if you need to talk, you know that?"

"Yes I know I just do not like making you feel… uncomfortable." I looked at him and smiled. "Anyway I have been a vampire now for almost 15 years; I should be able to look after myself by now." Mr. Crepsley started laughing hysterically, I looked at him oddly, I wasn't aware I had said anything funny.

"What's so funny?" I glared at him he knew I hated it when people laughed at me. He stopped and put his arm around my shoulder.

"Darren, learning how to be a vampire takes many a years to master; you are still a baby in our world."

"I'm no baby." I protested

"I am more than aware of that, but to other vampires you are a baby."

"So I will have to put up with you for a lot more years?" I acted disappointed but on the inside I was jumping for joy.

"Yes, I was with Seba for 97 years, obviously coming to the end I went off on my own and only saw him when I had a question or just to see him."

"So when do I get to go off on my own?" slightly excited

"When you are 80." He smiled at my shocked look and patted my head.

"Seriously…80…THAT'S NOT FAIR!"

"Think of it this way, you are 1 and a half in vampire years so you are only 7 and a half more years away." He laughed at my unimpressed expression. "I could make it 90 or 100 if 80 sounds too young." He gave me a devilish smile, if I had of been older I would have swung at him, but I knew I wouldn't even stand a chance even if we were play fighting.

"Come on, we are almost to vampire mountain, and I do not wish to be late."

"Yes, yes I know." I put my backpack on and yawned. "I hate this trek; it's always cold and always; ALWAYS snowing." I kicked a big pile of snow and started walking to catch up with Mr. Crepsley.

As we walked side by side I started to look back over the past 15 years we had spent together, it was difficult to believe 15 years had gone by already it only seemed like yesterday when he first blooded me, took me away from everything but gave me something new. I didn't hate him for changing me I was grateful. He had given me something different, something new, I wasn't going to have to be a typical normal person, I was different, abnormal and for that I thanked him.

"What has gotten you smiling all of a sudden?" Mr. Crepsley's voice made me come back to reality. I looked up at him and just smiled like he had just given me the biggest complement of my life. He smiled back and continued to look forwards.

Mine and Mr. Crepsley's relationship had changed completely even since that night he attacked me. He was a lot more open with me, joked and played around, even if it was only when it was just us two, he would revert to his old self when other people where around, at first I didn't understand but now I know it's just the way he is, I remember back to when I finally realised how important Mr. Crepsley was to me.

_I walked into the hotel room and stormed off into my room and slammed the door._

"_DARREN, GET OUT HERE NOW!" Mr. Crepsley was standing in front of my door waiting for me to open it myself._

"_JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" I screamed at the door._

"_DARREN AS YOUR MAKER I ORDER YOU TO…" Before Mr. Crepsley had any time to finish I flung the door open and stormed out. I flopped down on the sofa and refused to look at him._

"_What in paradises name is wrong with you? Why are you acting like a child?" Mr. Crepsley tried to sit next to me but I just got up and moved. "Darren…DARREN SHAN!" He shocked me a little shouting my last name and I reluctantly looked over at him._

"_What?" I really was acting like a kid_

"_Why are you acting this way? Why do you find it necessary to storm in here and start slamming doors?"_

_I got up and came right in his face. "STOP ACTING LIKE YOU CARE, STOP ACTING LIKE MY DAD!" my outburst shocked him and he didn't reply. At first I thought he was going to explode and scream and shout at me but he didn't, he just looked at me, eventually he stood up and walked to his room. I blocked his way._

"_Why do you always do that? You always walk away? Why don't you shout at me, why don't you do what a dad is supposed to do?" I through my arms around his waist and started crying on his chest._

"_It was you who so rightfully pointed out the fact I am not your father so I shall stop trying to be." He grabbed my arms and realised himself from my grasp, he moved me out of the way and walked into his room._

_Later that night I woke up scared and crying, I felt so lonely and stupid, I just managed to push the only person I have away, I tried to go back to sleep but I was being hounded by nightmares. I got out of bed and looked at the clock on my bedside table, 9.00am. I walked into the living room and stared at Mr. Crepsley's bedroom door; before I knew what I was doing I had opened his door and snuck in. I shut the door as quietly as possible. I heard him grumble and moan and was afraid I had woken him up. I held my breath waiting to see if he had indeed woken up,_

"_Darren what are you doing here at 9 in the morning?" I almost died I had woken him up and now I didn't know what to say. I looked down at my feet and answered quietly_

"_I had a bad dream." I heard him turn over to look at me but I kept my eyes on the floor._

"_Well I am not your father so I cannot help, go back to bed." I felt my heart shatter, I looked up at him then back down on the floor, I could feel tears forming and I didn't want him to see them. I slowly turned back to the door and reached out for the handle. "Sorry." Was all I could think of to say. I had the door half open when I felt his hand on my shoulder. He didn't say a word, he shut his door and lead me over to the bed he signalled for me to jump in while he walked around to the other side and get in._

_I lay down as far away as possible, I felt a lot better in bed with Mr. Crepsley but I felt a bit strange. I remember jumping into bed with my mom and dad when I was human._

"_I'm sorry about what I said earlier." I didn't know if Mr. Crepsley was asleep but I just had to say it._

"_Why did you?" he asked half asleep half awake. "What brought on this today?"_

"_I just don't understand something's?"_

"_Why not ask me about it?"_

"_Because it was you I couldn't understand." I felt him stiffen a little and he turned around to look at me. He rested his head on his hand propping himself up on his elbow. "What could you not understand?"_

"_When It's just me and you, you're…different to when we are around people. You act like you don't really care when we are around people but when we are alone you joke and play around." I avoided looking at him; I was scared his was going to send me away again. I was about to get up and leave when I felt his arms wrap around me and forced me into a hug, he kissed the top of my head. "It is just the way I am Darren, you are the only person I feel comfortable around to not be serious around."_

_I had never thought of it that way. I hugged him back and held back me tears; next thing I remember was falling asleep in his arms, sleeping the day away._

"Sometimes I really do worry about what goes on in that head of yours," Mr. Crepsley said as he gently pushed me. I snapped out of my memory and pushed him back a little harder than he had pushed me.

"Nothing that would interest you… old man." I shot him a devilish smile and started to run off laughing. I looked back and noticed Mr. Crepsley smiling at me like a proud father would to his son. I slowed down and looked back smiling to. I ran at him and hugged him tightly before he could hug me back I let go and started to run off again.

"Don't go too far." I heard him shout back. It stopped me dead in my tracks. He was letting me wonder around by myself, he wasn't following me or anything, I had a huge smile on my face and continued to run, I was going to enjoy every minute of this before he changes his mind.

However all good things must come to an end. My good time was cut short by a hissing and a laugh. "Darren, it's been too long. Why don't you wright?" I turned and saw Evra and Steve staring at me with murderous eyes, I was alone and Mr. Crepsley was nowhere to be seen.


	18. Welcome Back

**Chapter 18 (Welcome back.)**

I stood staring at them, I was shell shocked, was this real or was I just going crazy. No this was real as much I would have loved to of just walk away and to find Mr. Crepsley and tell him about my freaky hallucination I knew there was no walking away from this.

"Oh look at him Evra, his speechless." Steve nudged Evra in the ribs and started laughing, but Evra was staring straight back at me not saying a word. When Steve finally stopped laughing he looked around the area we were standing and shot me a serious look.

"Where is Creepy Crepsley? You are never too far from him so where is he? If he thinks he can sneak up on my again he has another thing coming." I didn't answer I was still to shocked to even register what he was asking me, I saw he was getting angrier the longer I remained silent. He quickly ran at me and pinned me to the floor, his hand clenched tightly around my neck.

"I won't ask again. Where is he?" I still didn't answer and he planted his fist into my stomach. "Darren this is getting boring, just tell me where he is and I'll kill you quickly, keep up this silent act and I will rip you apart limb by limb."

"I don't know where he is." I answered honestly I really didn't now but Steve was having none of it.

"Don't lie to me Darren; we have been friends for so long I know when you're lying to me." Steve tightened his grip on my throat making me close my eyes in pain.

I managed to wheeze out "I don't know." Steve let me throat go and watched me greedily taking in air. When my breathing had returned to normal, well as normal as it could be in my situation, he grabbed my shoulder and looked me dead in the eyes. "I will find him, I will kill him, and then I'm coming for you." He let me go and stood up, he looked down on me once more then turned to face Evra who hadn't said anything or moved an inch thought all of this.

Steve slapped him on the back. "Come on we have a full blooded vampire to kill." Steve started walking off but stopped when he noticed Evra was still staring at me. "Evra come on, the longer we wait around the further that bastard is going to move!" Steve walked back up to Evra and grabbed his arm and started dragging him away, but before they vanished out of sight I saw tears rolling down Evra's cheeks.

I lay back down and tried to unscramble what just happened here only a few moments ago. Why had they decided now was a good time to come and attack me, it had been 10 years since I last saw them running away from the cirque, why now after all this time. I sat and pondered a while longer.

I could feel someone watching me; their eyes intensely watching me lying on the ground staring up at the stars, I was afraid it was Evra and Steve coming to kill me. I knew they wouldn't find Mr. Crepsley any time soon and I knew he would knock the stuffing out of them if they even tried to attack him. I was hoping he would come and find me; maybe that's who was watching me? I slowly sat up and started looking around, hoping and praying to see his red clothing through the trees.

"Mr. Crepsley?" I asked out loud every fibber in my body was on edge. I continued to look around and there in the distance RED CLOTHING. I sprung up off the ground and ran to him. But when I got there it wasn't Mr. Crepsley, I was about to run away when the person turned around and I was greeted with the smiling face of Seba Mr. Crepsley's maker.

"Master Shan I did not expect to bump into you." He looked around worriedly "Where is Larten? Why is he not with you?"

"He was with me then I started running around and he told me not to go too far and I bumped into some people who have a grudge with me and Mr. Crepsley and they said they were going to find him and kill him then they were going to come after me and I thought you were Mr. Crepsley so I ran over here." I took a deep breath in, I didn't realise I was talking so fast, everything scrammed into one sentence, I hoped Seba got it all; I really didn't want to repeat myself.

He looked at me and after a while stroked his chin in a wise old man kind of fashion. "Why would someone go through the trouble of hunting you down when you are on the way to council?"

"They aren't vampires, one's human and one is a snake boy well man now. They mustn't have known where we were going."

"If it only the two of them then we have nothing to fear, Larten is a big vampire now he can take care of himself." Seba was about to walk away when I shot out in front of him.

"So we aren't going to look for him?" I was quite shocked Seba wasn't setting up a search party to find him.

"As I said Master Shan, he is a wise old vampire, I'm positive he will be fine."

Just as I was about to argue the toss with him I heard something in the distance. "DARREN! DARREN WHERE ARE YOU!" it was Mr. Crepsley. Before Seba could say "I told you so." I ran off in the direction of his yells. "MR. CREPSLEY." I shouted as I ran towards him, I felt like I hadn't seen him in years. When I spotted him through the trees I picked up speed and jumped at him arms wide open. Mr. Crepsley managed to turn around just as I came bursting out through the trees, he had a scared shocked look on his face, next thing I know I had jumped at him with so much force I knocked him over and landed on top of him, I hug him tightly and didn't really care if anyone saw.

I felt Mr. Crepsley's hand on my head, "I thought I told you not to go too far. Why did you not listen to me?" I could tell he was angry and started explaining to him what had happened when I mentioned that I had bumped into Seba his face went as white as death. He jumped up to his feet dragging me along with him; he started wiping the dirt off his cloths and ran his fingers through his small crop of hair.

"No use trying to hide it Larten. I saw everything." Mr. Crepsley's body went as stiff as a board. He slowly turned around and came face to face with his mentor. Mr. Crepsley looked as if he was about to faint.

"I do not see why you think it is necessary to change the way you are around me? I remember how it uses to exasperate you when I myself use to change the way I acted around other people." he came over and patted Mr. Crepsley on the shoulder. "Do not worry; none of this will go any further then the three of us." Mr. Crepsley looked down at the floor, I'm guessing he couldn't get over someone saw him when he was in his caring father mode.

I followed Mr. Crepsley and Seba in silence as they spoke about the "good old days" then it crossed my mind, when I'm Mr. Crepsley's age would we talk about the "good old days" and would my own assistant have to walk behind and just listen. I shook my head trying to get rid of the thought. Me with an assistant no way, especially not one as young as I was when I was created.

I looked around trying to work out where we were but it was hopeless, it just looked all the same tree after tree, bush after bush, I couldn't even look over the trees and see if I could see the mountain they were that tall. A full blooded vampire could probably walk through this section of forest in the day and not get affected at all. Maybe they were purposely grown this way for the vampires, or maybe we were just that far from civilization these trees are free to grow as big as they chose without the fear of being cut down.

I was trying to find something else to occupy my mind when I over herd Mr. Crepsley ask Seba, "Do you know if David and his _assistant_ have arrived at the mountain?"

"David and Red, yes they arrived a week ago, I was not aware you knew of them."

"Yes David and I both worked at the Cirque Du Freak, the girl however, is no concern of mine."

"Why do you say that Larten, do you not know what she is." Seba stopped and gave Mr .Crepsley a confused and worried look.

"I know perfectly well what she is; she is everything our law despises." Mr. Crepsley carried on walked at full speed trying to calm down, Seba looked at me about to ask what he was ranting about, I gave him the quick and simple version of the story, not really wanting to go through the whole situation in detail. Seba had a worried look but continued to walk not wanting to push the matter.

We arrived at Vampire Mountain just a little after sunrise; we checked ourselves in and watched as they engraved our names once again into the giant stone wall. I looked around the hall, still mesmerised that all the vampire clan could hide away in this mountain, I was so taken away by the place I never noticed Mr. Crepsley walk up behind me and place a hand on my shoulder. "How breath taking this place is." I looked up at him and smiled. "I truly didn't think I would see this place again till next council." Mr. Crepsley half smiled, "But recent events are not in our favour and this is the safest place for you." I gave him a questioning look but he just smiled and pushed me towards a table where Seba was sitting. _'What did he mean me surely he meant us'_

I was bursting to ask Mr. Crepsley what he meant but once we sat down we ate, once we had eaten we were shown around to refresh my memories on the layout of the mountain, after that we were shown to our rooms, (we ended up having rooms next to one another) and just when I thought I would have the chance to ask him… we bumped into David and a very unhappy looking Red. Brilliant.

I noticed Mr. Crepsley look down at Red in complete disgust; David noticed to and sent Red to her room, she walked past me and huffed, I just looked away not really wanting to show her any sign I noticed her, she looked at the floor and continued to her room I noticed she was wearing a mask over the half of her face with the burn mark I was going to ask about it but I could already see David was in a very heated talk with Mr. Crepsley. I didn't really listen to what they were saying; my mind was too busy trying to work out what Mr. Crepsley meant earlier.

'Maybe he was just tired and made a mistake? The only problem with that theory is Mr. Crepsley doesn't make mistakes. Maybe I misheard what he said, but I heard loud and clear "safe place for you." Not us. Where would he be going without me? Maybe he doesn't want me around anymore. NO I saw the way he was when I court up with him when he first left me, he said he wouldn't do that to me again NO his not leaving me.' The true is I didn't know what to believe.

The night soon came to a close, I had already fallen to sleep on the bench I was sitting on by the time David and Mr. Crepsley stopped talking and decided to retire for the night. David shock Mr. Crepsley's hand and left. Mr. Crepsley looked down and smiled at my sleeping form, he gently picked me up and started to walk to my room, I shifted a little in my sleep but calmed down after a few seconds, when we reached my room he lay me down in my coffin and looked at me like I was a sleeping new born baby, he looked around to see if anyone was about, when he was satisfied no one could see him he lent into my coffin and kissed me on the forehead and turned to go to his room, "Mr. Crepsley…" he turned back around to see what I wanted but when he noticed I was still asleep he realised I was having a dream. "Don't leave me. Not again." He looked shocked at my words and tears came to his eyes, he walk over to my coffin and stroked my hair softly until I slept soundly. Before leaving he took off his red cloak and covered me in it like a blanket, gave me one more kiss on the forehead and left for his own room.

It was just after nightfall when I woke up, I noticed Mr. Crepsley's cloak draped over my body. I smiled 'he must have carried me to bed last night.' I curled back up under it, I closed my eyes and thought about all the adventures I and Mr. Crepsley have already had together. Then out of nowhere I remembered when we first meet, I was sitting next to my best friend Steve watching the freak show. I remembered stealing Madam Octa, the way Steve's face fell when she bit him. I remember the smell of the old basement when I went to ask for an antidote, trading my life and family for my best friend. I remembered how much I hated him. But I can't remember when I stopped hating him, or even why, one minuet I hated him the next minuet I've replaced my human dad with my vampire one. Is that wrong of me?

I got out of my coffin put the lid on and sat on top. I tried to remember my human family, the way my mom would fuss over my grades, the way my sister would always want me to play dolls with her, and the way my dad would carry me up to bed if I fell asleep on the sofa. The memory flood gates had opened and no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't stop the memory of my human family. I had forgotten them completely, my life was such an adventure I had put them to the back of my mind. I had chosen a man who forced me to become his assistant over there memory, but I cared more for Mr. Crepsley then the memories of my human family. This thought shocked me.

I was getting so use to being a vampire, and having Mr. Crepsley as my dad, I didn't know what to do, one half of my brain was screaming at me for forgetting my "Roots" whereas the other half was telling me I had to move on. Genetically I knew Mr. Crepsley wasn't my dad but his blood does run through my veins literally. I'm a vampire now I need a vampire father. So why does it hurt to move on? Was this a sign I was losing what little humanity I have left, my thought where interrupted by a knock on my door.

"Come in." I already knew it was Mr. Crepsley before he opened the door.

"We are to sit in at a council meeting today, you need to get ready." Mr. Crepsley walked in and took a seat next to me. "Darren?"

"Ye, meeting, need to get ready." I got up still lost in my thoughts. Mr. Crepsley grabbed my arm and turned me around so he could get a better look at my face.

"Darren what is wrong?" I didn't feel the need to cry but I could feel tears falling down my cheeks. "Darren if you do not wish to go to the council meeting then I shall not force you to go."

"It's not that." I tried to look down at the floor but he was holding my cheek in his hand and I couldn't find the will to move it.

"Then what is it?"

"How have I lost it so quickly?"

"Darren I do not understand. What do you feel you have lost?"


	19. Sweet Goodbyes

**Chapter 19 (Sweet goodbyes)**

I was ready to spill it all, how I was feeling, tears where streaming down my eyes, I just looked at Mr. Crepsley and saw the worry on his face, I put my arms around him and hugged him tightly, I couldn't give a dame who saw I just needed the closeness. He hugged me back tightly putting one hand on my lower back and the other on the back of my head.

"What is wrong Darren? This is not like you at all." At first I didn't reply I didn't know what to say, maybe I was just being stupid, but why did the realisation of replacing and forgetting my family hurt so much if it was just stupid. I needed more than anything to talk to him but in all honesty I was scared out of my mind to, what if he takes it bad, I now he sees me as a son and I see him as a farther but is that a good enough reason to forget my human family all together?

I stood up and smiled at Mr. Crepsley. "We are going to be late." I wiped the few remaining tears off my cheeks and tried laughing to show him I was ok, but he wasn't buying it. "Yes, I know we will be late, but I need to know you are honestly ok before we go anywhere." He's caring words stung at my heart, why was life so confusing? "I'm fine honestly." I smiled again at him and walked off towards the door as he stood up. He put a firm hand on my shoulder. "We shall talk about it later then." And in a very rare public display of affection he kissed me on the top of the head and walked off before I could react.

The hall of princes where packed, Seba managed to save myself and Mr. Crepsley seats on the front row.

"Glad you could make it any longer and I would have had to give these seats up." Seba looked at us and smiled, but stopped when he saw my eyes all red and bloodshot from all the crying in my room.

"We are sorry Darren was… Darren was helping me pick a cloak." He looked down at me and winked.

"Well if you do not mind me asking why are your eyes all red?" Seba gave me a concerned look. Mr. Crepsley was about to answer when I butted in.

"There was a lot of dust got in my eyes." I laughed and focused my attention on the centre "stage" I noticed David and Red on the opposite side of the hall. David waved and I politely waved back, and when Red spotted me she just glared at me, the only reply she got was me looking away.

"Mr. Crepsley?" I waited for his reply but he was too deep in thought he never heard me.

"Mr. Crepsley?" I said again waving my hand in front of his face but still nothing.

"Mr. Crepsley!" I half shouted half whispered and added a poke in his arm. He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at me still half dazed. "My apologies Darren, I was just contemplating something Seba said to me."

"O...k well anyway, I was just wondering why David is allowed in the hall of princes?" I looked over in David's direction and Mr. Crepsley followed my gaze.

"He has most likely been given extremely special permission to attend, there is also the possibility he is speaking in this meeting."

"That reminds me why are we here? You never did tell me." Mr. Crepsley looked away, trying to hide something. Whatever we were here for I knew I would have to wait and find out, and I never liked it that way.

The first half hour of the meeting was totally boring; I noticed David looked bored too, so we started pulling funny faces at each other from across the halls, a few light hearted vampires noticed, laughed a little but then got back to business. Whereas some overly serious vampires AKA Mr. Crepsley noticed what we were doing, slapped me over the back of the head and glared at David who turned as white as death itself. I however foolishly sniggered at David's reaction and got, yep you guessed it, another slapped over the back of the head.

"Now to settle the business we are ALL here to deal with." Paris looked around the room and stopped when his eyes meet David's. "David Hickman, please stand and tell the hall why you are here." David stood and approached the princes; he bowed and turned to the hall.

"As I am sure you have all gathered, I am not a vampire, but I have come to you tonight out of the greatest of respect to you and your clan. There is a major event about to happen in vampaneze history. The birth of a new Vampaneze-bat."

"LIES! THERE HASN'T BEEN A BAT FOR HUNDREADS OF YEARS!" a middle aged vampire approached David and was furiously waving his arms in the air preaching to everyone that it was impossible.

"IT IS TRUE! THERE IS A VAMPIRE BAT IN THIS VERY ROOM!"

"SHOW US THEN! WHERE IS THIS VAMPIRE BAT THEN?" David and this middle ages vamp where at logger heads neither moving from their views, considering David wasn't a vampire he was putting up a brilliant fight against one. They were about to start another round of verbal sparring when Red stepped in.

"I am one of the last TRUE vampire bats in existence." When the room settled down she turned in a fall circle and exposed her wings letting everyone see them. She flapped them a few times causing a strong gust of wind to topple the closest vampires over. Paris stared at Red, his eyes threading to pop out of his skull.

Arrow stood and walked towards Red, eyeing her suspiciously. "How do we know they aren't simply mechanical?" Red turned around and lifted the back of her top showing all in the hall where her wings joined to her back. Arrow looked away in shock, but eventually managed to walk to her and touch the joints, Red flinched at first obviously uncomfortable with this contact. David watched Arrow carefully; he knew first-hand how Red would react if she felt her wings where venerable. Luckily Arrow walked away and returned to his thrown.

"They are real, she is a vampire bat." Arrow put his head in his hands, shaken by his encounter.

"Princes if I may speak freely?" David looked over at Paris the only one of the two princes present who looked like he was still reachable in this world. Paris nodded and listened to what he had to say.

"The vampaneze have managed to create a vampaneze bat. I don't know the whole story but I know it has happened. I and Red have both seen her learning how to use her wings. If we do not act quickly this could be devastating to your clan."

"How? What is this thing?" Arrow spat out.

Before David had a chance to answer Red did it for him. "She isn't a thing, she is like me, and she is my vampaneze half. The amount of blood she consumes would put even the greediest of vampaneze to shame. She will not only drink human but vampire blood as well without getting ill. She needs to be killed NOW before she can reach her true strength." Red looked around the room locking eyes with everyone in it bar myself and Mr. Crepsley. Then returned to her seat, not bothering to hide her wings any longer.

"Well what do you purpose we do?" Paris looked at David for the answers.

"I have already asked a few vampires who know and trust me to come with me to kill her." My eyes opened wide, I knew where this was going, who David would ask first. Mr. Crepsley!

"And who would these brave vampires be?" Arrow stood and walked over to David. "Whoever they are can expect me to come along. I will not let an abomination like that let loose onto this world."

"As you wish Sir." He looked around the room and waved over 6 vampires until he turned to Mr. Crepsley. I felt him get up and slowly walk away. My whole world was cracking with every step he took away from me. Every thing was in slow motion. I felt Seba grab me as I tried to get up. I had tears welling up in my eyes, chills running down my spine. I wanted to scream at him! He KNEW and he never told me. I thought… I thought… I couldn't think, I fought with Seba for a while, he was getting old so tired out fast. I managed to wriggle free of his grasp and I just stood there staring at Mr. Crepsley. I couldn't take another step, my world had shattered and crumbled and I was just standing there no tears no emotion just an empty shell.

Everything we had gone through flash by in seconds, the way we grew into the father and son relationship I never thought possible. Tears welled up again but not of sadness of anger, pure 100% anger. I watched as he shock hands with Arrow and all the others accompanying him on his "adventure" and he was smiling. He slowly turned and noticed me standing deadly still, tears treating to spill over and his smile disappeared. He started walking towards me but I snapped.

"I HATE YOU!" My scream echoed though the hall silencing everyone in it, all eyes where on my but I didn't care.

"Darren I did not tell you becau…" he reached out to me but I knocked his hand out of the way.

"IF YOU DIDN'T WANT ME AROUND WHY NOT SAY! I HATE YOU! I WISH YOU HAD NEVER BLOODED ME! I WISH I WAS WITH MY FAMILY INSTEAD OF YOU!" I fell on my knees, all my anger was gone, all that was felt was sadness and hurt. I could feel his eyes on me, I could hear his footsteps coming closer, and before he could reach me I stood back up, my hurt exception made him take a few steps back. I turned away and headed for the door, a quiet whisper echoed, before I left I looked over my shoulder. "Well at least now you can get rid of my for good." With that I ran; I ran though the crowds of people who had gathered outside the hall, I ran though hall after hall after hall until I ended up back at my room.

I looked around and pushed the memory of what previously happened with me and Mr. Crepsley only an hour ago. I found the red shirt he gave me all that time ago. I hugged and cried into it, then the anger came back I ripped it in half and then into the smallest shreds I could possibly make. I left it in a heap on the floor. I kicked over my coffin and punched a hole into the lid, I completely trashed my room.

I was walking around in a daze, bursts of anger then sadness took hold whenever they wanted. I wondered around for hours wondering why? Why? Why? Why was he leaving me? Why didn't he tell me? Why wasn't he trying to fine me now? I shook my head at the last one, he was planning on getting rid of you so why would he come looking for you honestly? I manned to shut my mind down. My legs where being controlled by any force but my brain.

I wound up in the tunnels under all the halls. And still I walked around aimlessly, I knew I could get lost down here and never be found but I really didn't care. For hours I must have been wondering around down there, I had lost track where I was and couldn't even guess at how far down I had gone, my legs where taking me whatever way they wanted and the rest of my just followed. I don't know how I did it but I ended up walking into the hall of death, my legs walked me to the very edge of the pit of spikes and stopped. I looked down at the hundreds of spikes and contemplated just jumping.

"You know Larten has been franticly looking for you these past 6 hours?" I didn't look around nor did I reply, I knew it was Paris anyway so what was the point. He walked over and stood next to me looking down at the pit as I was. "That must be one painful way to die; I myself hope never to experience it." He waited for some kind of reaction from me but never got one. "The first step is the hardest; it's all downhill from there." He stood looking at me still no reply or even a peep.

He stood there next to me for a while, coughing occasionally as most extremely old people do. He finally broke the silence, "When you were first presented to me, I saw a strong boy, ready to face any challenge head on, so why have you fallen at this one tiny hurdle?" it was silent for a while but finally I decided to speak.

"Why didn't he tell me?"

"I honestly would have thought he would but Larten knows what his doing, he hasn't done this to hurt you Darren. He just doesn't want you to get hurt."

"Tell me one I haven't heard a thousand times and I might be inclined to believe you."

"Listen I know what you're going through." He put a hand on my shoulder and I just nudged it off and looked at him for the first time since he arrived.

"How could you possibly know? You're a prince you have everyone! I have no one!"

"My maker left me here when I was about your age; he went to seek help from elder Hex. I waited for 90 years for him to come back, I felt every emotion under the moon. When I heard he was coming back I was so happy but when he finally did, he looked up at me, gave me a half arsed smile and walked off, followed by his new assistant. He left me for 90 years and then replaced me. When I tried talking to him he would just send me away. I hated him so much I thought of killing him, but instead I worked my way up the ranks until I eventually became a prince. He wanted to know me then but I told him where to shove it." Paris looked down at me and smiled.

"I'm not saying he will replace you, I've never seen anyone mess up the halls like Larten is looking for you, and he loves you like a Father loves a Son. He is only leaving you here because here you are truly safe." He put a hand on my shoulder and smiled. "Don't take this at face value look deeply into it and you will see its all for your safety." He walked away from me leaving me with what he had just told me. I felt like such a fool. I left the hall of death in search of Mr. Crepsley my vampire father.

I found him in the end cured up on the floor next to my demolished coffin. Tears where already forming the moment I saw him, I ran over to him and flung my arms around his sleeping form. My actions woke him suddenly. "I don't hate you I'm sorry. I'm so; so sorry" I sobbed into his shoulder; Mr. Crepsley didn't say a word. He held me tightly to him never wanting to let go.

After a while he grabbed my shoulders and held me so he could look at my face and I noticed he had tears running down his cheeks. "I thought you had run away from here. I thought I had lost you." He ran a hand through my hair. I could see the worry on his face and the failed attempt to hold back his tears. "I didn't think you wanted me anymore." Just saying this made me sob harder. He wrapped his arms around me and wiped his eyes on his cloak, "I love you Darren, you are all I have left."


	20. Time flies

**Chapter 20 (Time flies.)**

I walked aimlessly around the halls, my lessons for the day had finished and everyone was too busy doing something to even sit and chat with me. The past 12 years I have spent wondering around the halls I could walk through them with my eyes close. I often found myself in thought about Mr. Crepsley, playing out little adventures he might be on with all the other "hunters".

A lot of things had changed about me over the last 12 years, I had shot up in height, and I had defiantly bulked out and became a lot stronger, I had even started growing facial hair. I look at myself sometimes and thought if Mr. Crepsley would even recognise me if he saw me know. When he left I was still a boy but now I'm a teenager, still very dependent of other vampires but I would still insist on doing things for myself. "I'm not a baby" was my favourite quote.

Paris took it upon himself to teach me "the way of the vampire." But it didn't really sink in, most of the time I wanted Mr. Crepsley teaching me, watching me grow up, but I guess stopping this vampaneze bat is a lot more important than me. I had learnt to accept that now, when I first found out he was leaving I went up the wall, I honestly thought he was leaving me for good, and the first 3 years I still resented him for it.

When it first happened it thought he wouldn't be gone to long but as the years rolled by I started worrying he had REALLY left me here, luckily for me Paris had noticed my changed and asked me about it.

Flashback

"_Darren, what's wrong, you have been fiddling with your pencil all lesson."_

"_Why isn't he back yet?" I asked disheartened._

"_Darren Larten has only been gone 3 years that's all."_

"_That's a long time to be gone. People go and come back a few months later not years."_

"_Darren, you should know by now are concept on time is different to humans, you're thinking with a human mind and it has to stop or it will drive you mad."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Take our age for example; we age 1 in every 10 human years, 1 in every 5 in your case. We have prolonged life. So instead of thinking about it like his been gone 3 human years, think his hasn't even been gone 1 vampire year yet." He put his hand on my shoulder and smiled. It was a better way of thinking about it really; I smiled back and continued with my studies. _

End flashback.

I smiled at how much things had changed, I mostly lived with a vampire mind now, a few occasions the human in me would make a surprise appearance but that was to be expected, I was still a half vampire, as much as Seba and Paris wanted me to "top up" I wouldn't even contemplate it. Mr. Crepsley blooded me to start with and he will be the one to "top me up".

I was so long in thought I never even realised I ended up at the hall of princes. I only noticed when I face planted the magic doors, they were normally wide open when I came up to study with Paris. I looked around quickly to make sure no one saw.

"I saw that Darren." I shot around to come face to face with Paris, for an extremely old vampire he could still move wicked fast. I shyly smiled and rubbed my nose.

"You should really be more observant Darren."

"I know, I was just lost in thought and i'm just so use to the door being open." I noticed Paris grinning shyly at me. "What?"

"You're getting more and more like Larten every day. Even down to the red cloths." He tugged at my red shirt collar. It was true; Red had become my only colour for cloths sometimes black might come into it but only for shoes. I wear a red shirt, red trousers, red shoes even sometimes a red tie. I don't wear a cape or anything like that, it would ruin my look.

"I am however surprised you still string words together maybe that will come later."

"I hope not, that's a Mr. Crepsley and Seba thing not mine, I do not think it would suit me anyway." Paris just smiled and nodded in slight agreement.

"Well I shall need to be off, meetings tonight, will you be attending to learn the way of the diplomat?" I fronded I wasn't planning on being a general or a prince so why would I care.

"Oh dame I would love to but… I have to be somewhere top secret, you know how it is." I smiled and shot off before he could ask me any questions. I smiled to myself thinking about how mine and Paris's relationship has grown, I see him as a granddad, I see Seba as one too but I always seem to be with Paris more them Seba, mostly because Seba reminds me to much of Mr. Crepsley plus he is always really busy with his work. He will 'recruit' me into helping but that hasn't happened in a few months.

I made my way down to the hall where food was served. I grabbed a loaf of bread, a bowl of bat broth and a handful of dried meat. I made my way over to my usual seating area in the far corner of the hall next to a constantly blazing touch. I looked around the empty room apart from the kitchen "staff" and 5 other vampires who were all over in the far side of the hall, I was completely by myself.

I remembered the first time I came to council with Mr. Crepsley and Gavner, meeting Seba for the first time. Trying bat broth for the first time to, I smiled to myself at that memory, I loved it now I ate it almost every day. There was nothing else to eat really; that is of course unless you like mouldy bread dipped in ale.

I was taken from my thought by Zak, the newest addition to our clan; he was 21 when he was blooded so he didn't have to pass any trials to "prove his worth". He was first presented to the princes 5 years ago; Paris thought it would be good for us to get to know each other. I didn't want to at first, I just wanted to be alone, but after a while we started getting along and became quite close friends.

"Hay Daz, what's for lunch I'm starving?" Zak wasn't really much to look at, but saying that neither was any other vampires. He had spiky black hair, a little taller than me, and a mixture of blue and green for eye colour. Like me he had a set colour for cloths but whereas mine where red his wear purple.

"You ask me that every day and every day I give you the same answer, bat broth, bread and dried meat." I smiled at his horrified look when I mentioned bat broth.

"I was hoping 'because you were like Paris's favourite you could get him to change the menu, it's getting quite dull."

"I'm not Paris's favourite, his just looking after me while Mr. Crepsley is gone that all."

"I know I know but still come on pull some strings for me man." He punched me in the arm, "Look at all the things I've done for you." I almost died of laughter.

"And what pray tell have you done for me?"

"Ok well maybe that was the wrong thing to say. Ok, ok think of all the things I'm GOING to do for you in the future." He gave me a big smile hoping to sway me. Considering he was 21 he acted more like a child then I did.

I just rolled my eyes and continued eating, I was about to grab my last slice of dried meat when Zak picked it up and shoved it in his mouth. I looked at him wide eyed, never before has he ever done that.

With a mouth full of food he tried to talk to me. "Do you like sea food?"

"What on earth are you talking about…" not a second after the words left my mouth he opened his to reveal to me the pre chewed food in his mouth, I looked away laughing "GROSS MAN!" he eventually swallowed and rested his head on the table. I could hear him muttering to himself, he did that a lot.

"I wish you wouldn't do that it's so annoying."

"Pisk and what do I care if I bug you, what you going to do about it really."

"Oh ill just tell Paris your bugging me that much it will put me off my studies." I burst out laughing at the shocked look on Zak's face.

"You wouldn't do that to me. Would you?" he gave me a worried look

I stood up and walked away from the table, I looked over my shoulder "You'll just have to wait and see." And I ran off, closely followed by Zak shouting at me for answers.

I reached my room a few hours before darn, being chased round the mountain all night really took its toll on me. Keeping away from Zak should be a challenge in the trials. I jumped into my coffin and rested both hands behind my head. I was thinking about my next lesson, apparently I was going to be taught how to use a sword, I was excited and a bit nervous. My thoughts where interrupted by someone clearing there throat in my door way.

I lifted my head so I could see over the sides of my coffin but relaxed when I saw it was Seba. "You alright there Seba?" I said sitting up he looked sad and worried all at the same time. "What's up, you look worried."

"Darren I have news for you. It's about Larten."

My eyes filled with hope. "What Mr. Crepsley? Is he coming back? Is he back already." I jumped out my coffin ready to rush out the door, but Seba held my arm to stop me.

"Darren something had happened, go to Paris he will explain in detail to you, I'm not 100% sure myself." He put his arm around my shoulder and guided my stunned body to the halls of princes. The hall was full of nosy shouting vampires but all went silent when Seba and I entered. Paris sheared a worried look as we took out seats on the front row.

Paris raised his hand to signal to everyone to be quiet, when silence fell he started.

"We all know 12 years ago a brave group of the clan left on a mission to destroy an ever increasing threat. We have been keeping a close eye on them since they left. However some time ago we lost all connection to them." A gasp ran through the room and all eyes were focused on me. I just sat in my seat, too shocked to do anything, but as the words sank in tears started falling.

Paris looked at me contemplating weather or not he should say his next sentence but he knew he must. "We believe they have not made it." He made the death touch sign "Even in death may they be triumphant." The hall followed suit except me. I slowly started to stand, I turned towards the door and slowly walked out, I managed to get to the lower floors when I fell on my knees and sobbed.

I smashed my fists into the floor until they were almost broken. I screamed and screamed till my voice went hoarse. Everyone who tried to help me only got pushed off. I was dying inside and out. My whole world had gone for good, Mr. Crepsley was never coming back and I was alone forever.

I curled up in a ball leaning up against the wall of Mr. Crepsley's old cell. I wrapped myself in one of his old cloaks and cried into it, I cried my heart and soul out into this last connection I had to Mr. Crepsley.


	21. Maybe Not Lost Completely

**Chapter 21 (Maybe not lost completely.)**

I hadn't left Mr. Crepsley's room in over 2 weeks, Zak tried to move me a few times telling me this wasn't good for me but I pushed him away. I pushed everyone away; I wanted to be alone in this room, in his room, in my father's room.

"Darren… Darren look at me." I could tell by the voice it was Seba, I just buried my face into Mr. Crepsley's cloak even more.

"Darren we are all worried about you, it is not right to lock yourself up like this, Larten would not want you to do this to yourself."

"Well I'll never find out know will I. I'll never find out if he would be happy at how much I've grown, and what I've learnt. I'll never know now will I." I looked up at Seba with my hurting eyes but had to look away quickly, he outfit was too much like Mr. Crepsley's use to be.

"Darren you need to eat, you need to feed, and you have not taken blood for 2 weeks."

"I KNOW WHAT I HAVNT DONE!" I locked my eyes onto Seba's and refused to look away. "I WILL NEVER SEE HIM AGAIN; I WILL NEVER GET TO SAY GOODBYE… I'll never be able to hug him, to tell him how proud I was he picked me as his assistant. So don't lecture me on what I haven't done." I looked away feeling I had made my point. Seba couldn't reply, how could he? He turned and walked away leaving me to my thought.

I must of nodded off because the next think I knew I was being shaken, I opened my eyes slowly and saw Zak he had a smile on his face, I was about to clobber him for smiling at a time like this but he started talking before I could explode.

"Darren I don't think his dead, there talking in the halls of princes, hurry up." He grabbed my arm and dragged me to the halls before I could even register what was happening. We stood listening to the conversation going on in the halls.

"What do you mean, explain yourself?" Paris demanded

"Sir, I believe they could have just been taken by the vampaneze. We know from experience that they have some device that blocks out mental links, maybe there using it sir." I tried to picture a face for the voice but it didn't ring any bells. "Where was there last known location before we lost them?"

"There last location was a small village, 27 kilometres east. It looks like they were on their way back." I could feel my heart beat faster and faster. If Mr. Crepsley was alive I was going to find him. I was planning my escape when a section on the conversation caught my interest.

"What about the boy, should we tell him?" the unfamiliar vampire asked

"No, I don't want to raise the boys hopes for them to be broken again if it turns out he is dead, Darren is not to know is that understood?" Paris addressed the halls. A mutter was all I could work at as an answer.

"Darren do you know what this means?" Zak turned to talk to me but noticed I was already halfway down the corridor heading back to my room. When he arrived at my room I had already packed my backpack and was stuffing the last of my belongings into it including Mr. Crepsley's cloak.

"You're going to check it out aren't you?" Zak lent up against my door frame and folded his arms across his chest.

"If there is even a 1% chance his alive I'm going for it and don't think about trying to stop me because I'm not in the mood for games." I put my arms though the straps of my backpack and headed for the door but Zak didn't move.

"I'm not going to stop you at all, I'll admit I don't have this kind of connection with my maker but you where young when blooded and might see him as your father, and I wouldn't dream of stopping you searching for him, that's why I'm coming with you."

I looked on in amazement as he reviled a hidden backpack behind him as he put a thick woolly jacket on over his top. He put his backpack on and moved out of the doorway so I could lead the way. "Thanks" I said as I passed him. He slapped me on the shoulder as I walked by and smiled then we were off. "So what about that menu change then?" He nudged me in the side and we both laughed. "I'll see what I can do."

We had to keep to the shadows while we made our way down to the exit tunnels. We took out time making sure we wouldn't be seen by anyone. We managed to reach the lower tunnels without any fuss but things where running to smoothly, something was bound to go wrong.

"Darren, Zak where are you going." We both shot round in a flash to come face to face with Paris. We couldn't talk. "Looks like you're off on a little adventure. Oh my mistake it looks like you're off on a hunting trip, Zak that's very thoughtful of you taking Darren hunting to take his mind off current events." Zak and I looked at each other confused but Paris just winked, smiled, handed me a map, turned and walked off towards the main halls.

I smiled and looked at the map, Zak however was still in a state of shock, but he just laughed it off and studied the map with me. Paris had marked off where the mounting was where Mr. Crepsley's last location was and circled parts of the map writing next to them features to look out for like a waterfall or oddly shaped rocks. I put the map in my pocket and we set off.

"According to the map the "gold running" waterfall should just be over there." It was Zak's turn to navigate, last time he got us lost and the time before that he took us back to the mountain. I was hoping to the vampire gods that he would get it right this time.

I pushed aside a few branches and to my amazement there was nothing there but a wide open field. I pinched the bridge of my nose trying to stay calm. The longer we wasted on poor map skills the less likely it was that we would find Mr. Crepsley or any of the other hunters again.

"What the hell! This can't be right I followed it to the letter, this map is wrong." He walked out into the middle of the field and threw the map on the floor.

"It's not wrong it's just a confusing map that's all. Come on pick it up and pass it here, we need to find out where we are." I held out my hand and in which Zak thrust the map at me. I lay it open on the floor and studied it for a while. I retraced my steps from the last correct point we were at. "Alright look, we are here" I pointed to our location on the map. "And the closest thing we need to find is here." I pointed to the "lion" shaped rock. "Paris didn't say we had to go to every one of these so I think we should just find the Lion and carry on from there."

Zak kicked a small pebble and walked off in a huff muttering "Fine." I shook my head at his children's moment and continued on our way. We reached the Lion shaped rock 3 hours after our little diversion. We decided along the way it would be better for the both of us if I stayed in charge of the map, while Zak climbed up tall trees to look at our surrounds seeing if he could see our destinations.

"How much further do we have until we reach the village?" Zak asked rubbing his saw feet.

"Well lion here is the last but 1 marker, next thing we have to look out for is a sign that says "Village this way" do you really think there is a sign out here saying that?" I handed the map over to Zak so he could see it for himself.

"Ha-ha Waw that's just funny, well I don't think Paris would put something on here that isn't real." He stood up and dusted himself down. "Come on it don't look like it's going to be that far away, if we get a move on we should be able to get there just a little after dawn."

"Ye hopefully." I suddenly started feeling very nervous and scared; having Zak with me throughout the trip has kept my mind off my ultimate goal. I was so close to finding out if Mr. Crepsley really was dead or alive, part of me didn't want to now but I had to find out for my own sanity I had to.

"Hay Zak, what happens if there not alive, what if his truly dead, what if there all dead?"

Zak turned to face me slowly; he did not look impressed in the slightest. "Don't ever talk like that again. I came with you because of the determination you had to find him alive. Don't start questioning yourself. Do you believe his alive?"

"Ye but…"

"No; yes or no. Do you believe his alive?"

"Yes"

"Then we carry on searching until we find him and the rest alive or until you say you don't believe it anymore." With that Zak gave me one last hard look and walked off towards the village.

The village was a little run down thing in the middle of nowhere. The perfect place to take people you didn't want finding. The few villagers we walked passed gave us odd looks I turned slightly and whispered to Zak "I'm guessing they don't get many visitors."

"No I don't think so, maybe we should grab some food and camp out in the forests surrounding this so called village." Zak looked over his shoulder and noticed the villages following us. I noticed to but carried on regardless.

"We don't want your kind here." An elderly man walked out from the crowd carrying a pitch fork. I had to stop myself from giggling; he looked like one of those farmers you always see in "Dracula" movies or "Frankenstein"

"What do you mean 'our kind'?" I turned to meet the old man's stare.

"We aren't stupid; we know full well what you are. We already have a vampaneze problem we don't need a vampire one to."

"Well for your information old man that's exactly why we're here." Zak walked as close to the old man as he dared and continued. "You see my associate and I are here to rid you of vampaneze problem, once we are done we will leave and you'll never see our faces again." The old man gave him a weary look mulling over Zak's story.

"If you're here to get rid of them, then I guess I can put you up for a few nights, but I'm warning you if you even attempt biting someone I'll throw you out in the sunlight." Zak looked at me shocked, we both managed to hold back our laughter; they really did believe the stories.

"I promise if we try you can tie us to posts and let us burn in the sunlight." I put my hand on my heart and tried to sound as serious as possible. The old man agreed and we followed him to our temporary loggings.

The old man's house looked like something out of a scary movie. It looked older then the whole village, if I believed in ghosts I would 100% say this house was haunted, but my vampire mind wouldn't let me believe in such things and to be honest I'm glad. The man showed us straight to the attic. No grand tour, no "this is where the bathroom is;" nothing.

"You can stay up here." These where the old man's only words before he turned around and walked off back down the stairs. Zak and I looked around the room. I would have thanked the man but he was gone far too quickly. "I get the feeling he didn't like us very much." I said thinking out loud.

"You're telling me. Looks like we are going to have to stay in until the sun goes completely down, don't want to go bursting into flames now do we." At that we couldn't hold back, we fell on the floor laughing our heads off, tears where rolling down our cheeks, our sides where killing and we couldn't breathe. I couldn't remember the last time I had laughed this much.

Once we had calmed down we got out the map and studied it closely. "I think the only use this map had left is to get us home. We are going to have to talk to the villages to see where the vampaneze are." I ran a hand through my hair; I knew talking to the villagers was going to be easier said than done.

Zak yarned and looked around; he found 2 sleeping bags and lobbed one at me. "It's about time we got some sleep; we can start our questioning tomorrow night."

I nodded and climbed into my sleeping bag. Obviously checking for spiders or anything else that might be lurking in there before I got in. I snuggled down and within no time at all I had fallen into a deep sleep, dreaming about rescuing everyone and seeing Mr. Crepsley again.


	22. Heart opening

**Chapter 22 (Open hearted.)**

We woke up an hour after the sun had set. We had been thrown out of the main house by Mark the old man. "I'm having my grand-children stopping tonight and I don't want you tempted by them. When the sun starts to come up you can climb back in to the attic through the little window on the roof." He pointed to the corner of the attic to a window neither one of us had noticed before. With that he slammed the attic door shut, locked it and started nailing what I can only guess was a cross on the door.

"You know what I think we shouldn't come back here at all. I'm praying to the vampire gods that we find the others and get out of here ASAP, acting like the vampire in films is embarrassing." Zak would moan about anything but in a funny way not annoying one.

"God is all you do is moan, I know it's not the idealist of places but at least it's dry and warm... well warmish anyway" I picked up my backpack and headed for the window. I looked out over the tiny village foolishly hoping I would catch a glimmer of red, but there was nothing. Sighing I opened the window and climbed out silently.

We thought it best to ask whoever was still around if they knew anything about where the vampaneze might be hiding. We asked one women but all she was concerned about was making sure we didn't eat her cats. One man said they were back at hell where Zak and I should be, I had to fight with Zak so he wouldn't knock the man out. We were about to give up when a little boy and girl came over and tugged on my arm.

"Excuses me vampire man." The little girl took a step back dragging the little boy back with her when I turned.

"My names Darren." I couched down so I was roughly their height. "And what's your names?"

"My names Leo." the little boy announced like it was a great honour, but his time was short lived.

"Shush. We aren't supposed to tell strangers our names. Maria will get mad."

"But he told us his. So why can't I tell him mine Sue?" The girl looked like she was ready to explode at him for saying her name so I thought I would just butt in and see what they wanted.

"So Leo and Sue what can I do for you?" they both stopped there little argument and looked at me then to Zak. Leo walked over to Zak and looked him up and down.

"Are you a vampire man to?" Leo asked looking up at Zak, who was towering over him,

"Yes and the name is Zak." He only looked at the kid briefly then started walking away. "Darren I'll see you back at the 'bat cave' I don't work well around kids." and with that he was gone. I knew he wasn't going back to the attic he was off on the pull, trying to see if he can get himself some human company tonight. Zak was many-a-things but his main goal was to be the most famous lady's man/vampire.

I felt Leo and Sue staring intensely at me so I turned my attention back to them. "So now Zak's gone, what can I do for you?"

"Maria sent us to find you." Sue came as close to me as she dared and whispered "She knows where the vampaneze are."

Sue and Leo walked one on either side of me holding my hands. "We need to hold your hands so you don't get lost." Leo randomly stated after holding my hand for about 5 minutes. "This place is massive and you don't want to get lost. 'cause if you got lost it would take Sue and me a long time to find you." He looked up at me and gave me a very wide grin. I couldn't help but smile and wonder if I was ever like that as a human.

"How old are you?" I turned to Sue who looked extremely confused. "You don't look very old? The last vampire we saw looked really old didn't he Leo."

"Ye he must have been like a billion years old." Leo giggled and I couldn't help but giggle to. I tried to think who would look that old out of all the vampires.

"So are you a billion years old?" Sue asked

"No I'm a baby compared to some vampires I know. I'm not even 100 yet." Leo looked at me with a shocked face but Sue still looked confused. "You can't be a baby, you're not small enough. And if you were a baby you would need a mummy that's the law." She stopped looking at me and focused on where we were going. She was so much like my little sister it was almost heart breaking.

"That's right how silly of me." I said shacking my head acting like I had done something wrong.

We walked on in silence for a while, we were walking down all the back streets so people from the village wouldn't think I was trying to kidnap the kids (Sue's idea) we had been walking for a good 30 minutes when we came to a large wooden fence surrounding an abandoned Mill. Leo let go of my hand and ran over to the fence, pushed a fence panel out of the way and curled into the gap. Sue looked at me confused again for the thousandth time tonight. "You won't fit so how will you get over? The fence is too high to jump?"

"Don't worry I'll meet you over the other side." I smiled and took a few steps back ran at the fence and jumped clean over it, I even include a flip just to make the kids smile. Sue curled through the gap quickly and stood staring at me. "WAW I WANNA JUMP THAT HIGH!" Leo shouted but slapped his hand over his mouth. "We have to be quiet; this place has mean guard dogs." I only nodded my head and followed Leo and Sue to a broken window.

"Maria is on the top floor." Leo said with a sad face

"Aren't you guys coming with me?"

"We can't get to the window, we aren't tall enough?" Sue said also looking quite sad.

"Well why don't I pick you up, or I can go in and open a door for you?" Their eyes lit up like Christmas trees.

"REALLY!" they both said in unison,

"Sure we have gone this far together, and I will just get lost."

It was agreed that I would pick Leo up and take him in but Sue wanted us to open a door for her.

"I'm a lady and ladies do not go through windows we walk through doors?" I smiled and pictured what kind of a trouble maker she will be for her boyfriend or husband.

"Of course we can. Don't want to ruin your dress either." She smiled and ran off to the main doors of the Mill. I picked Zak up and placed him against my chest so not to scratch him on any broken glass. We passed through the window with ease. Once I placed him on the ground he ran off to the main door to let Sue in.

I had a look at my surroundings, everything was old, damp, and dusty and mostly everything was made of wood. There were still a few Milling machines in the far corner of the room but they looked beyond repair.

I could hear faint mumbling and giggling in main corridor, and I knew Sue and Leo where planning something, I thought I would just play along, If Maria knew the location of the vampaneze I would find Mr. Crepsley faster, but it's not every day you get to play around in an old Mill.

I crept outside of the room and into the main corridor, Sue and Leo where hiding behind a curtain but I walked straight passed them pretending not to see their feet popping out at the bottom.

"Leo, Sue where are you?" I heard them giggle but carried on looking. All of a sudden they jumped out shouting BOO. I pretended to be scared and fell on the floor acting like they had scared me to death.

"Is he dead?" Leo said walking over to me. "Sue I think his dead?"

"No his not his just playing." Sue tried to sound normal but you could tell she was scared. They leaned over me and stared at my face, it was at this time I decided to open my eyes and shout boo myself. They fell over onto the floor. I stared laughing and after they realised I was playing they too fell about laughing.

After we pulled ourselves together we made our way to the top floor.

"So you must be Darren? I've heard so much about you." There was a young women leaning against the window, eyes closed arms folded with one foot casually propped up on a chair.

"And you must be Maria." I noticed that Sue and Leo where attempting to hide behind me but didn't think much of it.

Maria slowly opened her eyes. "Leo, Sue get over here?" At the mention of their names they gripped onto my jacket with mind blowing force. "I said get over here NOW!" she slammed her propped foot onto the floor to re-enforce she wasn't kidding around. The 2 let go of me and walked over slowly to where this Maria was standing. "I told you two to bring him to this building not accompany him in here and play silly buggers." She wasn't shouting but her words echoed around the room.

I didn't like where this was going so I stepped in before I got out of hand. I walked over and came face to face, nose to nose with this Maria. "These kids are not servants. I'm the one who brought them in here; I'm the one who started playing around. You got a problem take it up with me not these kids."

Maria only smiled at me and tapped my cheek with her hand. "The guy in red was certainly right about you." and walked off back to the window, with me close on her heals.

"What guy in red? Where is he?"

"Oh him I saw him about a month ago, begged me to tell a vampire named Darren that his here."

"Mr. Crepsley doesn't beg." I really didn't like the way she was making Mr. Crepsley sound weak.

"I think any man, vampaneze or vampire would beg considering what they have been doing to him for the past month or so. There were originally about 6 of them but there are only 2 now. The other 4 didn't even make it passed the 2 week point."

"WHERE ARE THEY?"

"Shush sit down and listen to the story Darren and if you interrupt again I will never finish."

"Fine just get on with it." I lent up against a table and felt Leo and Sue slowly making their way over to me.

"Now where was I? Oh yes, There is a man all in red and a man who looks very human but no matter what they seem to do he just isn't dying. There in the basement of this very Mill..."

I wasn't listening to another word I got up and headed for the door But Maria beat me to it, for a human she was pretty fast. "Now Darren let's not be too hasty. If you go down there now who will look after these kids. They could get hurt."

As much as I hated to admit it she was right. I walked over and bent down to Sue and Leo. I gave them the address of the old man and told them to find Zak in the attic and to tell him where I was. They nodded and followed me to the stairs.

"I'm surprised you've not asked Darren?"

"Asked what, I've got everything I need out of you."

"Not true there is one question you're dying to ask, so ask it before you go to your doom."

"Why are you helping me?"

"Ever heard the saying, 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend'"

"Ye what about it?"

"The person who took the red man is my enemy as well as yours, if you manage to kill him it will be of benefit to me to."

"Why what's he done to you that's so bad?"

"He promised me the world, stars, moon everything, but when it came to paying out he ran, and he ran far and fast, but I come from a family of hunters so he wasn't that hard to track down."

"Whatever if I kill him it will be for me and ME alone."

"You just wait till you see him and then say that."

I was a bit taken back by her last words to me but I had bigger problems. I had to get Sue and Leo safe and I had to get to the basement. I picked the kids up ran out of the main doors of the mill and jumped the fence. I placed them on the floor, told them the address and what to say again and watched them run off in search of Zak. Before they could go I gave them all the money I had on them, they didn't look like they had much of a life and after helping me it was the least I could do.

I took one final look up at the night sky, I was going into a hell not even Mr. Crepsley could break out of, my odds of winning where next to nothing but if I died down there it wouldn't be a bad thing. I know Mr. Crepsley would do the same for me. I took a deep breath, jumped back over the fence and made my way into the Mill.

It was only when I got inside I realised I should have got Sue to point out the door to the basement before I sent them off but no use thinking about it now. For a brief time this moment reminded me of trying to find the basement of the old theatre of my home town so many years ago. Trying to find it so I could steal a spider, of all things to go into a life of crime for I choose a spider. But it's not all bad I guess. I would never of meet Mr. Crepsley if I hadn't of.

I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard faint muttering and footsteps coming towards me. I dashed into an open door way and hid behind the door.

"So where you off to now?"

"Going to find myself a lovely bit of meat for dinner." One of the men laughed. "What about you?"

"Got guide duty this morning. Gotta make sure that bastard don't try and make a break for it again."

"Good luck with that man I've watched them once full on beat that guy and he don't do anything. Shame his vampire he would make a bloody good vampaneze. The 2 laughed, bid each other fair well. When the door shut behind the one vampaneze the one left locked the door and walked past my door again whistling tonelessly. He was my ticket to Mr. Crepsley and David.

I followed him to the basement and to a small room on the far side. We had only passed about 5 other vampaneze on the way to this room. I was starting to wonder where all the security was, but I did thank the vampire gods for there being so few. The guard walked into the room and closed the door behind him. I looked around for anything I could use as a weapon. Bingo, I found a lead pipe. I took hold of it and stood next to the door listening.

"So then, what fun game should we play this morning? Not very talkative today are we?" Silence. I wish whoever he was talking to would just at least say something so I would know if it was Mr. Crepsley or not.

"Oh yes, I have news for you, you're going to love it trust me. That little assistant of your Darren was it. He's here in this village, apparently on the hunt for you. But don't worry we are closing in; he will be with us soon, from what I've heard he will be here VERY soon. I'll put him in the sell next you so you can hear him screaming when we beat crap out of him. Ye we might even knock down this wall so you can watch to." The guard was getting extremely frustrated he couldn't get a reaction out of Mr. Crepsley.

"Now you listen here we have found your boy and we are going to kill him nice and slowly, do you get it, I know you're not stupid, oh but maybe you just don't care, ye that's gotta be it. You use to be so sure he was gonna find you and that we would never get him. Where did your faith in that boy go? Did you finally realise he didn't care about you. His probably back at the mountain with some new mentor. Wouldn't blame him really after those lovely marks you left on him. Well I got places to be people to 'question' don't go anywhere."

Blood splatted all over the walls. My grip on the pipe got tighter. My eyes fixed on the purple skinned bastard. My breathing was heavy my heart was pounding and my head was racing. My eyes wondered down from the back of the vampaneze head to the middle of his back where I had embedded my lead pipe, severing his spine and trashing organs as it passed out the front of his body. I pulled the pipe out in a swift movement. I wasn't thinking about what I was doing, it was just coming naturally, blood rage had taken over, I was going to kill this vampaneze bastard slowly and there was no stopping it.

He turned around to face me, his steps slow and sluggish, the shock on his face said it all, and he never in his wildest dreams saw it coming. He fell to his knees in front of me staring into my eyes, I didn't feel anything but the lead pipe, I held it like a bat and readied myself for the final blow. All I could hear was a loud crack as my lead pipe connected with the side of his face. It wasn't just blood that was all over the walls now, lead pipe shavings; skull and brain pieces were mixed in to.

I looked at the vampaneze destroyed body and dropped the half of the lead pipe still in my hand on the floor. I suddenly remembered what lead me here and I snapped out of my bloody rage mode. I ran over to Mr. Crepsley. He was chained up to the wall like some unholy crucifixion. I placed both hands on the side of his face moving his head so he would look at me, but his eyes where empty.

"Mr. Crepsley it's me. It's Darren. Come on say something." tears started falling I was scared I might have been too late to save him, that his soul has just left this empty shell of his former self. No I was not giving up this easily. I wiped my tears away and held his head close to mind.

"Now you listen here Larten, don't you dear think you are leaving me like this? Don't you even dare. We have been through far too much. We are getting out of here you me and David understand."

I let him go and started pulling at the chains. One arm came free easily but his legs couldn't hold his weight and collapsed only being held up by his one remaining chained arm. Once that was free he fell to the ground in a heap. I rolled him onto his back and leaned over him. I noticed his lips where moving like he was trying to talk but no words where coming out. I moved my ear closer but I still couldn't make it out.

I took my backpack off and rummaged to find exactly what I was looking for. I pulled out a royal red coloured cloak and wrapped it around him. I saw a small spark in his eyes when he saw it, then it hit me, I looked down at my appearance, I was wearing all red as well, maybe he didn't recognise me, he had never seen me in this. I took my jacket off and unbuttoned my shirt. I rammed it into my bag and lent back over him. I saw his eyes wonder around my face and down my chest until his eyes meet my 4 long scares running across my chest. His eyes widened and his eyes meet mine again. But this time they weren't so empty.

"We need to get out of here." I looked over to the door and back at Mr. Crepsley. How was I going to carry him, fight off whoever was guarding David, carry him as well and fight off anyone who gets in my way. Maybe I could get Mr. Crepsley safe then come back for David, But by then they would of realised Mr. Crepsley had gone and security on David would just increase. "Where is Zak when you need him?"

I walked over to the door and popped my head out no one was about, I had to risk it with both of them and escaping, I wouldn't leave one behind, I walked back over to Mr. Crepsley and lifted him onto his feet, I put my back to him and let him fall onto me, I finally managed to get him onto my back so I was giving him a piggy back and walked over to the door. Every door I walked passed I would listen to see if I could hear David.

20 minutes I had been searching but to no prevail. I only had one door left, I sat Mr. Crepsley on the floor next to the door and slowly opened it, when my eyes where meet with was nothing more than hell itself. I was about to be sick when I heard him. "Hi D. ."

"David... What have they done to you?"

"It's the only set back of being immortal."

I walked over to the table David was strapped onto. I couldn't believe anyone not even the vampaneze could be this inhumane.

"Darren...have you found...Larten?"

"Yes his outside the room, but I got to get you out of here."

"Shhh no Darren... I can't recover from this."

"Yes you can your immortal for god's sakes."

"Darren look at my body, not even an immortal could survive this."

It was true his chest had been ripped open and held open by rib clamps, you could see his heart pumping and his lungs rising and falling with every breath, he had electrodes attached to every organ. The pain must have been unbearable. The more I looked the more tears fell.

"I'm so sorry David; I should of left sooner I would have found you before this."

"This is destiny Darren, You had nothing to do with it, I have to ask something of you Darren, it will be hard but you have to do it for me, promise no matter what it is you will do it."

I nodded I knew what he was going to ask and I knew it was the right thing to do but it would be the hardest thing in the world to do.

"Darren you need to kill me."

I shock my head, I knew he was going to ask but hearing it made it really hit home.

"Darren only you can, help me please, I know it's not the best thing but it's the only way."

"I cannot please do not ask me to, you're my friend I am supposed to take you back, you have to watch me grow up and see what new things I can do. You're supposed to die on a battle field not here, not by my hands."

"I have seen you grow, I'm looking at you now thinking how proud you have made Mr. Crepsley and me. But you must Darren, stop my pain please."

I wiped my tears and picked up a broken piece of wood and pointed the shard end over his exposed heart. "Goodbye Darren and thanks."

"Bye David." I screamed as I rammed the stake into his heart and I screamed until my lungs where saw.


	23. Mountain sweet mountain

**Chapter 23 (Home sweet home.)**

I was surrounded by David's blood. I felt wrong like a monster. I should have just taken him with me and Mr. Crepsley; maybe the princes would have known what to do with him. I untied his body and placed his hands on his exposed chest, grabbing a large brown blanket I covered his body, paid my last respects and left.

I shut the door behind me hoping it would hold the images back but it didn't. I wiped the tears away when I noticed Mr. Crepsley must have tried moving and fell over so he was lying on the floor. I chuckled at the sight. "Come on, you need to feed." I walked over to him, I rubbed my hand down my trousers and made a small cut, I may be half vampire but I was half human to I already knew in an emergency a maker could drink the blood of his pupil and it wouldn't poison them. I watched as my blood trickled down my fingers and fell into his mouth. Once I felt myself getting dizzy I stopped and picked him up onto my back again.

We managed to reach the main corridor without any problems, but when I looked outside I saw a major problem. It was sunny and bright outside, birds where chirping and the sound of market tradesmen selling their goods could be heard. At any other time I would have loved this kind of atmosphere, but not right now. I couldn't take Mr. Crepsley outside in this, he hadn't fed properly since the God's knows when and the sun would cook him in no time.

"At least this explains the lack of security ay." I looked over my shoulder and saw Mr. Crepsley must have fallen asleep. I looked at him a bit longer, he had defiantly aged but there again I wasn't surprised, he must of gone through hell down there.

I was thinking about leaving him hidden, running back to the old man's attic and getting Zak to help me carry Mr. Crepsley, but the people here think we are "movie" vampires. I walked into the old dusty office, placed Mr. Crepsley on an old dusty sofa and closed all the curtains I could find I even managed to block the door with a very heavy bookcase so if the vampaneze did come looking for us they would think the door was locked.

"Well looks like we will have to wait till night fall. Shouldn't be too far off." The atmosphere in the old office was a lot more peaceful then down in the basement. I felt safe up here, like we were in a completely different building to the one I had first entered. I looked around the room; it was like everything else in this place, old and dusty, full of spiders and other creepy crawlies. I was used to living in the mountain so it really didn't bother me at all, but if I was still human it would be creepy even in the day time.

I looked down at myself and realised my shirt was still unbuttoned, I traced my scars and looked at Mr. Crepsley, I could still remember that night so vividly even thought it had not passed my mind for many years. I buttoned my red shirt back up and got my jacket out of my bag. I looked at myself in a fall length mirror in the far corner of the room. I tried sorting the mess I call hair and straightened my cloths out. I never got time to groom myself at the mountain lack of mirrors made it difficult.

After 2 hours of dossing around and playing with an old yo-yo I found in an abandoned draw, the sun finely started to set. I picked Mr. Crepsley back up onto my back and headed for the door. I stopped suddenly as I noticed two people walking down the stairs. I dived back into the living room praying to the vampire gods they hadn't noticed me.

"... I think it's my turn to start shocking the immortal." The man spoke with pure evil in his voice, it sounded so familiar to me but I couldn't place it.

"You wish scales, that's my job and you know it." My eyes widened, scales, I only knew one person with scales... Evra... I had to see if it was him. I peeped round the corner of the door and saw the backs of two men, one taller than the other with blond hair, black cloths and gloves and what looked like sun glasses on the top of his head. The other wearing nothing but black trousers and scales covering every part of his back, chest, head. I watched them walk into the basement and shut the door. I didn't have time to be angry, I had to get Mr. Crepsley out of there and to safety, once that was done then I could be angry.

I dashed out of the front door not bothering to shut it behind me and I ran, I ran for my life, I couldn't flit but I was getting close the only thing holding me back was my blood. I was half way back to the attic when I noticed Zak chatting up some young women.

"ZAK!" I shouted running over to him, still with Mr. Crepsley on my back.

"Darren where in the God's names have you been I've been looking everywhere for you... Who is that?" he asked pointing rudely at Mr. Crepsley on my back.

"Mr. Crepsley, look we need to get back to the attic."

"But it's night it ay like we are going to burn to death." I could tell he wanted to stay and chat with the girls but he would have to pass this time.

"I have just run 20 minutes straight with him on my back, he's been through hell and I need to get him safe, if you want to stay here and chat up some girls you will never see again rather than help me out fine." I turned away quickly and started running towards the attic again.

I could hear Zak running behind me, I knew he wouldn't stay there when I needed help, ye he wanted to sleep with as many people as possible, but he also wanted to be a vampire of good standards to.

When we reached the attic we locked the window and placed the heaviest box we could find over the attic door. No one was getting in or out. We placed Mr. Crepsley on my camp bed and looked at him, not knowing what to do.

"How longs he been asleep?" Zak asked me

"A good number of hours, but I'm not surprised really he has been through hell."

"And what about the others did you find them?" Zak looked at me when I didn't answer; my face was dark and tears where threatening to fall. Zak didn't ask me anything else, he placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed.

I sat staring out at the night sky, trying to play dot to dot with the stars, I managed to spell my name and make a duck, I looked away when I realised I was having fun with it. I walked over to Mr. Crepsley and checked to see if he was still OK. Zak had noticed major bruising around his wrists and shoulders, I told him about the way I found him strung up and we decided it was down to that.

"We need to get him to the mountain Darren, They can help him more then we can." Zak looked out of the window at the sky trying to judge how long till sunrise. "If we leave now we will be able to reach shelter before sunrise."

"You're right, but he needs to feed, I do not know the last time he feed or anything" I stood next to Zak looking out into the dark.

We made a plan, one after the other we would go on the hunt, drain blood from tramps and people sleeping out on the streets. Zak always carried around an injection with him, says it's something his maker has got him into doing, Zak went first, while he was off "hunting" I hunted the attic for a cup. I managed to find an old tin cup after a quick clean, I placed it by Mr. Crepsley and waited for Zak to return.

He climbed in through the window half hour later. I stood up fuming. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to find people out on the streets in this village? Anyway there are some vampaneze lurking about, so we are going to have to be extra careful."

"There looking for us, I'm surprised they didn't come out sooner."

Zak emptied the blood out of the injection into the cup I found. Then turned to me. "Look these vampaneze don't know me, I can pass by them a lot easier then you can, you stay here and feed your maker, I'll get the blood."

I gave him a wary look, it was dangerous out there now, even more then before but he had a point. The vampaneze where probably only looking for me, they would over look Zak.

It was almost darn when Zak returned after his 14th hunt for blood that night. The cup was fall and he looked like he was about to pass out. "Thanks mate" I said as he emptied the last bit of blood into the cup. He smiled slapped my back and dived into bed.

I moved Mr. Crepsley so he was leaving up against the wall of the attic, he was still "asleep" I had started to think he was unconscious know, no one not even vampires sleep this long. I put the cup to his lips and tried making him drink it, but all I managed to do was soak his chin. I looked around for a spoon or something similar but couldn't find one.

I looked around for some inspiration when I came across a first aid book, opened on the part about S.P.R, I rolled my eyes, "well you did ask for inspiration" I walked back over to Mr. Crepsley checking to make sure Zak was 100% asleep.

I managed to pass most of the blood from the cup from my mouth into his. It was horrible at first I almost didn't do it, but I knew it was the only way I was going to get the blood into him. I just had to keep telling myself it's for the greater good. In doing it I was saving Mr. Crepsley's life.

"We will get you back to the mountain and they will know what to do with you, you'll be back to your old self in no time." I patted his hand, stood up and walked over to the window, I looked out at the setting sun, I turned and kicked Zak in the leg, he woke up with a shout of pain, he was about to start shouting at me when I butted in. "It's almost dusk, we should start heading back to the mountain before the vampaneze close in."

He mumbled something but got out of bed, I knew he was probable calling me every curse word under the sun but I just let it fly over my head. I had saved him a mouthful of the blood, he had been so busy the night before I thought he would need the drink, he drank half and gave me the rest, "We will take turns in carrying him. I'm glad you found him Darren," Zak smiled at me and slapped my back. "Come on then, should we thank the old fart for his kind hospitality." We both laughed and grabbed our bags.

DOWNSTAIRS!

The old man opened the front door carefully, looked left then right and invited the 2 men standing at his door in. The taller of the two spoke first, "So you know where they are 100%"

"Yes, there upstairs in the attic, they carried a man in there about 2 nights ago; he was wearing all red, looked pretty beaten up if you ask me."

"Well done, have they moved recently?" asked Evra. The old man eyed him oddly but shock his head to say no.

"Come on Steve; let's get them before they get away." Evra ran up the stairs. Steve shocks his head, through a bag of money at the old man and headed up the stairs after Evra.

When Steve reached the attic door he saw Evra huffing and puffing trying to open the attic door.

"They must have blocked it with something." Evra sat on a step trying to catch his breath back.

Steve rolled his eyes pushed passed Evra and pushed the door open, it took a little force but for a half vampaneze it wasn't that difficult. Steve entered the attic quietly, making sure not to disturb the occupants.

Evra crept in behind Steve, knocking over a few boxes resulting in Steve glaring at him with killer eyes. Evra raised his hands in an attempt to say sorry, Steve only turned his back on him and continued further into the attic. When they reached the middle they both looked around. Nothing. Steve went bright red with anger and rushed down the stairs to the kitchen where the old man was counting his money.

"WHERE ARE THEY?" Steve grabbed the old man around the throat and pinned him up against the wall. The man looked at Steve with wide scared eyes not saying a word. The lack of response from the man only made Steve tighten his grip. The man gasped for air, when Steve saw the man go blue he let him go.

Steve walked over to the counter and picked up the money. "That's mine" the man wheezed reaching out to try and grab Steve's leg. Steve saw this coming spun around and planted his foot into the man's face. He crouched down and came in close to the man's broken face.

"It would have been yours if they had of been there, but there not, there gone." Steve ran a finger down the man's bloody face collecting blood along the way. He stuck his finger in his mouth and sucked off the blood. The man looked on in horror. "You lead me and my friend here for no reason."

The man was about to protest when he felt teeth clamp around his neck. Steve stood up and look on as Evra sucked every last bit of blood out of the old man. Steve raised an eyebrow at the scene. No matter how many times he saw Evra drink it was still strange to see a snake man do it, even if he was half snake half vampaneze.

When Evra was finished he wiped his mouth and looked over at Steve. "Where do you think they went?"

"Where you think you dick. There heading back to the mountain."

"But we can't go there it's against the law." Steve punched Evra around the face knocking him into the wall. "I KNOW OUR LAWS! I TAUGHT THEM YOU!" with that said Steve helped his friend up and walked out the house putting the bag of money back in his pocket.

"Was you really gonna let him keep that money if the stupid vampires would have been there?" Evra asked rubbing his cheek where Steve's fist had connected.

"Are you joking, I'm not made of money you know. Either way that man was dead." the pair both laughed and walked off into the cover of the night.

BACK TO DARREN!

"Thank god, after 4 days there it is." Zak said triumphantly pointing to the mountain. "See I told you I would get us here" he smiled

"Ye, let's just forget the whole fact we could of get here last night if you hadn't of read the last bit of the map wrong." We shared a quick laugh and sped up determined to get there before dawn broke.

We worked our way through the mazes of tunnels leading into Vampire Mountain. When we came to a large wooden door Zak banged on it loudly but no-one answered, he tried a second time, and a third but nothing. Eventually after continues banging it opened. One of Seba's new assistance stood there and held the door open.

"Master Seba has been awaiting your arrival." The young man turned and walked off. We followed him until we reached Seba's chamber. Seba rushed out grabbed Mr. Crepsley and rushed him into his room. "Fetch me some clean water, blood and bandages." Seba ordered, Zak and I were about to run off and follow his order when he shouted, "Not you boys you have been through much you must rest." he clicked his fingers and his new assistant gave me an evil hateful look and headed off.

Zak and I took a seat on boxes in Seba's chamber. His was bigger than most with a desk and high celling.

"What happened here?" Seba asked pointing to Mr. Crepsley's arms and shoulders.

"When I found him they had chained him up like some unholy crucifixion, I don't know how long he has been that way." I stood up and walked over to see if I could help but Seba pointed back to the box.

"Where is David did you manage to save him also?" Zak put a hand on my shoulder I closed my eyes and told them about how I found him and how he asked me to end it for him. Zak was speechless horrified by the images in his head.

"It must have been hard Darren, but you did him a great service." Seba looked over to me and smiled. "It does not make you a bad person for helping a close friend." he turned his attention back to Mr. Crepsley. It felt like years had gone by, Zak's master had been to collect him a few hours ago so I had no one to talk to. I could only sit on the box and watch as Seba fussed over Mr. Crepsley.

After a while Seba stopped fussing and took a seat next to me, he put an arm around me and I rested my head on his shoulder. "You got to him just in time Darren, I will not lie to you I do not know what will happen. He has been for a long time without blood. The blood you gave him when you first got to him saved his life."

I nodded sleepily and closed my eyes. I felt Seba shuffle from under me and lie my down across the boxes, but I didn't open my eyes I let sleep take me. My body relaxed knowing Mr. Crepsley was in safe hands I could rest.


	24. Wake up

**Chapter 24 (Wake up.)**

I was walking back from a quick lesson with Paris, heading to Seba's chamber with a bowl of soup for Seba to check on them both I knew he was feeding Mr. Crepsley but kept forgetting to feed himself. When I reached the door I could hear raised voices. At first I thought It was Seba and Mr. Crepsley and I went light headed. But then I realised that yes it was Seba but the other voice was a lot younger.

I stood outside the door not wanting to interrupt, but stayed in ear shot of the door.

"Why don't you ever treat us like you do him." the young one said.

"Do not be ridiculous, I treat all my assistance's the same way."

"No you don't you look at him differently even through his isn't even your assistant anymore."

"Get out of my chamber; I shall not be spoken to in such a manor. He may have an assistant of his own know and he left my care many years ago, but my blood runs through his vain, he is my responsibility."

The young vampire stormed out of the door slamming it behind him. He saw me and stormed towards me. "This is all your fault." he poked me in the chest and ran off before I could say anything.

I stood there shocked and only realised Seba standing in his door way when he cleared his throat. I snapped round to see him looking at me. I sheepishly smiled and walked over to him. I held out the bowl and he laughed but thanked me and invited me in.

"My latest assistant if very affectionate. Something he needs to learn to handle and deal with before he becomes a full vampire." he looked off in the direction of his assistant thinking about something but snapped back to me.

"You will be happy to know Larten woke up earlier today, gave me a fright he stayed awake long enough to recognize who I was and that he was safe and he went back to sleep."

"Why didn't you come and get me?"

"As I said he was not awake long enough, and it is not your job to worry over him, you should be concentrating on your studies."

"So what it's your job to worry about him," I gave him a knowing look and walked over to where Mr. Crepsley lay. I took my normal seat next to the bed and told him about what I learnt that night. Seba would always watch when I did this, I never knew if he was admiring or disproving at how close I was to Mr. Crepsley.

I fell asleep resting my head on the edge of his bed, holding Mr. Crepsley's hand.

It must have been around midday and I was out like a light. Mr. Crepsley began to steer slowly waking up from his epic sleep. He shot his eyes open and looked around quickly, when he remembered the last time he woke up seeing Seba and being told he was in the mountain he relaxed. He looked down to his hand when he felt something on top of it.

He was confused at first, there was a teenager dressed all in red, with short brown hair sleeping there holding his hand. Mr. Crepsley looked at him curiously and snatched his hand back ready to punish him for such behaviour. The speed in which he did it woke me with a fright. I shot up straight and looked around. When I noticed Mr. Crepsley was awake and looking at me confused, tears welled up in my eyes but I fought them back. "I bet I've changed a lot since the last time you saw me." I smiled at him but he didn't say anything.

"It's me, it's Darren" he looked at me shocked and looked me up and down. "I know it's most likely hard to believe but I changed a lot and..." but I couldn't finish my sentence, Mr. Crepsley has grabbed my arms and held me in a loving embrace. At first I felt uneasy but soon warmed up to it and hugged him back.

"Thank you, Dear gods thank you" he put his hand on the back of my head tightening his hold on me. "They told me they got you, they told me what they were going to...do... and" I could feel him sobbing at the memory of the horrors he must have gone through.

"It's ok, I'm ok, and I managed to get you out before they even knew I was there." Mr. Crepsley moved and looked at me.

"You rescued me?" he sounded shocked and confused.

"Ye. Why who did you think it was?"

"I thought maybe it was Seba, I can only remember someone wearing all red standing over Me." he looked off into the hidden parts of his mind trying to remember. I looked down at myself and smiled. "Ye I started wearing red a year or so after you left, I'm just so use to it know I forgot you never saw me like this."

He smiled at me and patted my head. I was about to hug him again when the door opened. I was expecting Mr. Crepsley to remove his hand off my head but he didn't. Seba walked in with a bowl and cup but when he saw Larten sitting up wide awake he dropped them on the floor and rushed over to his assistant and checked him over.

Both myself and Mr. Crepsley where taken back by this rear show of affection from his old mentor. Once Seba realised there was no external damage he relaxed into the chair at the side of the bed.

"I did not expect you to awaken so soon, from what little Darren has told me I thought you may be 'out' for some time."

Mr. Crepsley just smiled at me and patted my head again. "To be completely honest I did not think I was ever going to wake, they were there Seba waiting for me, so many times they would come." putting his hand on his head lying back down in the bed.

"Who were waiting for you Larten?" Seba lent forward in his chair and check Mr. Crepsley's temperature.

"Arra, she was there, she kept trying to tell me something but, I could not hear her."

"Larten you know Arra is with the vampire gods in paradise, you were most likely only seeing things, your mind and body have been through a hard time."

"That may be, however that does not mean I did not see them." Mr. Crepsley turned in his bed putting his back to us and fell back into a deep sleep. Seba looked as his assistant with worry in his eyes.

A whole month had flown by since Mr. Crepsley's ordeal he was rarely allowed out of his room, he would have to sneak out when his old master wasn't watching. I found it highly amusing watching him dart from one wall to the next like some vampire ninja.

I was in the 'dinning' hall with Zak. He was doing what he did most nights, moaning about there being no 'fit' female vampires; we would have died if he ever meets Red. I just listened ad he carried on occasionally throwing in the odd 'yes', 'I understand'. I snapped back into attention when I felt someone sit next to me.

Zak was looking at the new addition to our table with wide eyes, I was expecting a horrifying creator to be sitting next to me but when I looked it was only a red faced Mr. Crepsley looking as 'cheerful' as ever.

"I see Seba is on to you again." I said sipping on my cup of blood trying not to laugh.

"You know fall well he is Darren, why ask such stupid questions?" Mr. Crepsley swiped my cup of blood and gulped it down in no time.

"Please help yourself." I said drowning my words in sarcasm. Mr. Crepsley slapped me over the back of the head.

"No need for sarcasm Darren, just remember if it was not for me you would not be drinking blood in the first place." for some strange unknown reason that made me angry, like it wasn't a big deal he blooded me all those years ago, but before I could say my peace Zak made his presents known.

"OHHH so you're Mr. Crepsley, Darren hasn't shut up about you since I got to the mountain." Zak reached out his hand to Mr. Crepsley, who intern just looked him up and down like he wasn't worthy to shake his hand, but then something changed in him and he eventually shook it.

"And you must be Zak. Darren has told me you accompanied him and helped rescue me. I thank you."

"No sweat, to be honest all I did was get us lost." Zak and I laughed at the confusion on Mr. Crepsley's face.

"Zak's map reading skills are, limited at best." I explained.

"If you do not mind me asking, how old are you?" Mr. Crepsley asked

"Who me?" Zak asked.

"Yes Darren is my assistant so I know his age." Mr. Crepsley just smirked which shocked Zak and I.

"Oh well ye I guess you would." Zak started turning a steady red colour. "I was 21 when I was blooded but I've been a vampire maybe 5 years less then Darren, I find it hard to keep track." he lifted his cup slowly and sipped from it. "I'm not the best with numbers." My mentor has tried everything to 'correct' the issue but I still can't wrap my head around it."

"Zak first came to the mountain a few years after you left with David and the others," I explained

"That would explain why I have not seen you before." We all started talking about how Zak and I became friends, what we had been learning since he left, and Zak asked Mr. Crepsley a lot of questions about being a vampire. I was glad he and Zak where getting along.

"ZAK! YOU USELESS BOY." someone shouted from behind him and clobbering him one over the head. "Where have you been, we were supposed to be training you tonight and here I find you gallivanting with your pathetic friend."

"Hay, who do you think your calling pathetic." I stood up completely forgetting about Mr. Crepsley being here, it wasn't the first time I have had a run in with Zak's mentor, most of the time I would end up being dragged away by Seba or Paris, and I even ended up with a black eye and a broken noses once.

"I'm calling you pathetic, you stupid boy..." his face went white as a sheet, what little colour he had been draining away at an alarming rate. I followed his eyes and found he was staring at a very unhappy looking Mr. Crepsley.

"I...I...I..." was all he could say.

"I did not know you gained a stutter since the last time we meet, McGregor" I giggled a little when I heard his name but instantly shut up when I felt Mr. Crepsley's eyes burning into me and slowly sat down.

"I'm extremely sorry Larten; I meant no disrespect to you." McGregor gave a terrified smile and took a few steps back.

Mr. Crepsley slowly stood up and straightens his cloths. He cracked his knuckles (something I never saw him do) and in lightning speed punched McGregor square in the face. Both I and Zak looked on in complete amazement.

"If I ever find you insulting my assistant again I will make you wish to see paradise sooner than the gods plan." Mr. Crepsley looked at him a while longer rolling around the floor holding his face, blood escaping between his fingers. "Also show more respect to your own assistant, you will find they respond better to you." Mr. Crepsley said nothing more and took his seat.

The few vampires in the hall didn't even seem to notice; they just kept drinking and eating. There again people are always starting fights in the 'mess hall' so you tend to get used to it after a while. McGregor finely stopped rolling around the floor and picked himself up; he gave one hateful look at me and Zak and made a hasty exit.

"That was awesome." Zak said as he watched his mentor run away. "If you ever learn to fight like that remind me not to get on your bad side." We shared a quick laugh.

"You should not be so happy I injured your maker. He made you and looks after you." Mr. Crepsley stated.

"Ha looks after me oh please, the moment he blooded me we were on our way here, Paris has had to teach me everything I know I've been 'classmates' with Darren for years now. McGregor may be my maker but I don't have to like him for it." He turned back around to face us, his looked incredibly miserable.

I was about to say something to try and cheer him up but he stood up before I could. "I need to get going, I got to report to Paris about some stuff. It was nice to finely meet ya, nice to be able to put a face to the name." He shock Mr. Crepsley's hand then punched me in the arm. "I'll see you tomorrow at battle room 4." He smiled at me, walked off and waved.

Mr. Crepsley and I stayed seated for a few more hours just talking about how Zak and I meet, and how we just clicked. I told him how it was nice to finely have someone my age to talk to. He told me when have a vampire friend you stay friends for hundreds of years. I laughed the thought of having to put up with Zak for a few more hundred years; it could end up killing me, or me killing him.

"Oh yes, when did this all happen then?" he said pointing to me.

"What do you mean?" I was a little confused

"The red? It suits you very well. Have you been spending too much time around Seba?"

"Well I did see him a lot while you were gone but no. I really don't know how 'this' came about, it just did."

"I notice your way of speaking is also changing." he smirked at me knowing I would protest.

"No it ay, nuffins changed." It took a lot of will power to try and sound like I use to, the words just felt wrong and I shuddered like after drink something horrible.

He laughed and patted me on the head. "It ay changed at all has it." we burst out laughing. After all these years I've been his assistant I had never heard him talk that way, it really didn't suit him.


	25. Bow for the Queen

**Chapter 25 (Bow for the Queen.)**

For the next three years the halls where busy with talk and gossip. A lot of vampires where worried that the vampaneze had already found the vampaneze bat and was planning an attack. Others thought it was just a waste of time and nothing to worry about. The princes tried to keep order at all times reassuring there subjects as much as they could. But you could see it in their eyes, they had no answers they were as clueless as the rest of us. It was very unsettling.

"We should not be worried about such matters. If they did have a vampaneze bat they would not wait they would be at our door right now, we all know they are not ones to wait when it comes to the fight." McGregor (Zak's maker) spoke out to the hall. Ever since these meetings about the 'bat clan' started he has somehow appointed himself an expert on all matters involving them.

"We can't act so reckless, we don't know the vampaneze full plan, we don't know if they have a vampaneze bat or not, and we can't just rush into a war blind." Arrow rarely objected to start a fight with the vampaneze but even he could see going into this head first was too risky.

"But my prince if we could just send a small group just to have a look around I'm sure we would find something to..." McGregor protested but was cut short.

"NO! WE WILL NOT START A WAR WERE WE ALL DIE. We are all worried but it has been many years since David took a small band of vampires to search of this bat and look where they ended up. Only Larten survived out of the group. Do I need to remind you of Darren's tales of how he found David?" Arrow was taking no nonsense from anyone tonight especially McGregor.

I clenched my fists at the memory of how I found David. I still had nightmares about it, sometimes I would re-enact finding David strapped to the bench chest wide open, begging me to kill him. Others I would find Mr. Crepsley strapped to the table. It was the dreams with Mr. Crepsley that frightened me the most. A hand reached around my shoulders and pulled me in close.

"Darren we can leave if you so wish, I know the memory of David weights heavy on you." Mr. Crepsley whispered to me.

"No I am fine, seriously, but thanks." I turned my attention back to the platform where Arrow and McGregor where arguing it out.

Finally after hours of watching the two men scream and shout at each other the meeting was brought to a close by Paris, who told us all when our next meeting would be and at what time.

/

"I tell you what all these meeting are going straight over my head. I have to learn all this if I'm ever going to be a general." Zak had decided ever since he got here he was going to be the clans greatest general… and lover.

"You know it take many a year to become a general, and even longer to become the clans greatest." I smiled at his disappointed face.

"I hate it when you remind me how long it's going to take." He said pulling a sad face.

"Ye well someone's got to keep you from getting your head lost in the clouds. Might as well be me."

"Oh ye that reminds me, you coming to watch me do my trials ant ya?" he said eyes full of hope.

I looked at him oddly "You know you will not do that until you are a full blooded vampire, and that will not be for a while yet."

"Ye I know but just in case you leave or something? I'll need to know whether to let you know when it is or not."

"Yes I'll come watch you and laugh when you fail." I laughed at his unimpressed glare but he knew I was joking.

"What you on about you're the one who is going to train me." He laughed

"Oh and what makes you think I will be your teacher?"

"Well you still hold the record for the youngest vampire to do them and win." He nudged me in the ribs and I just shock my head. We made our of the halls of princes and just started talking about any old random thing on our way to the mess hall.

"I tell you what Daz when I become a general I'm going into the nearest town and sleeping with all the girls I can find." I was halfway through a cup of blood when he sprung that on me and I spat it out all over the floor.

"Where in Paradise did that come from Zak, honestly I do not want to know about your sexual activities." Zak spoke a lot about sex but that was only when he was drunk. In all the years I had known him he had never just bluntly spat it out in a sober conversation.

"Hay I know, you should come with me." Zak gave me a cheeky smile he was always trying to get me with someone.

"No thank you. My past experience with women never turned out well."

"Ye you told me about that Debbie chick, What about that Red girl you mentioned a few times? Why not hook up with her?" The one down fall with Zak, if he wanted to know something he wouldn't rest or leave you alone until you told him. And knew his curiosity button had been pushed and there was no going back.

I signed "Fine we did 'date' for a bit but then she went off with some other vampire, I don't remember his name or even what happened to him so I would not bother asking." I stared into my cup hoping he wouldn't ask anything else, That night really did knock my confidence out of shape, I looked older and filled out a lot more, human women would notice me but I would just shy away.

"Dame... What a bitch. Well even more reason to come with me, we can set you up with a nice human women get your confidence back and there we have it." Zak made it sound way easier than it really was.

We sat in silence after that, not really knowing how to start a new convocation, Zak could tell it knocked me about even though it was years ago, he could see it was hard for me to let go of the hate and anger.

All of a sudden the hall burst into life. A young vampire ran in shouting. We couldn't tell what he was shouting but the vampires closest to him ran out of the hall bellowing for people to 'come on'. I looked at Zak who just shrugged, be silently decided to follow and see what was happening.

The crowd outside the mess hall was extraordinary everyone seemed to be making their way to the hall of princes. I spotted Seba in the crowd and dragged Zak behind me heading in Seba's direction.

"What's going on?" I bellowed at Seba so he could hear me.

"Oh Darren Thank the Gods. I do not know, all I know is we will be having some unexpected visitors and it has caused this."

"Could be the vampaneze?" Zak shouted but not loud enough for the other vampires to hear. It would have only started a riot or worse.

"No they would be dead, they are in the hall of princes talking so they are not vampaneze for that I am certain."

"What should we do" I asked

"Of cause we will have to find out what is happening and who our guests are." Seba grabbed my arm and started dragging me towards the hall. I intern grabbed Zak's arm so we wouldn't lose each other. The three of us managed to get to the hall in once piece and still connected. Once in we noticed Mr. Crepsley waving at us.

"What is going on Larten?" Seba asked once we fought out way over to him.

"All I know is the princes received a letter asking for an audience with them, who they are and how many are unclear." Mr. Crepsley answered.

"This is very unsettling Larten, very unsettling indeed?"

Mr. Crepsley looked down at Zak and me still fighting to stand up. Being only half vampires it was hard to keep balance when full blooded vamps where pushing you out the way. Mr. Crepsley grabbed my arm and stood my in front of him so I could have him to fall on if I got shoved to hard. Seba did the same for Zak.

It was deafening in the halls everyone screaming demanding to know what was going on. Eventually Paris and Arrow entered the hall through a side door and took their seats on their thrones. Paris raised a hand to try and silence everyone but no one would obey, Arrow stood from his throne and bellowed at everyone to sit down and shut up. Those who could sit sat those who couldn't stood in silence. No one ever had to get Arrow to tell them twice. He even ordered to hall doors to be kept open so vampires who could not fit in the hall could still hear. This was massive.

When everyone was silent he returned to his throne and let Paris take over.

"Now we do not know who these visitors are we know they are not vampaneze. However we are not sure if they are vampires either. We received a letter only moments ago and we are unsure of what they want. As your princes we ask you NOT to take any hostile action when they arrive. Continue on as you would every other night."

Out of nowhere from the entrance to the hall someone started clapping. Everyone looked to see who it was. Standing in the door way where four hooded figures, dressed in Black and purple robes. They looked like taller versions of the little people.

"I couldn't of put it better myself Prince Paris. I would hate for this simple visit to end in violence." By the voice you could tell she was a woman. Even thought she was covered from head to toe, she elegantly made her way to the platform the Princes resided.

The crowd parted like the red sea making a clear path to the platform, the women in front was closely followed by an extremely tall and muscular man who must have been her body guard, and he was followed by the other two who said nothing and kept their heads down.

Once they reached the foot of the platform, the Princes guard blocked there path holding spears to their visitors. The tall guy growled at them but was quickly silenced by the women who raised her hand to him. "Step aside; I would hate to have to order Duncan to move you." She didn't flinch or anything. It was like being threatened was a daily occurrence.

"No one is to step foot on the Princes platform without first being check for weapons." One of the guards stuttered out.

Within the blinking of an eye the 2 from the back had glided to the front unarmed the guard who had just spoke and had him pinned on the floor.

"NO ONE, VAMPIRE OR NOT HOLDS A WEAPON TO OUR QUEEN." One hissed he forced the guard to his knees and held him there before his queen.

"Charm yourself you two, we are not here to fight, I thought I raised you better!" They realised the guard and bowed to their queen, she placed a small kiss on each of their heads and smiled.

"I apologise for my children, they are rather protective of their mother. If you wish to search us then you may."

The guards approached with causation and searched all four, starting with the two at the back then the big guy, then finally the Queen. When they were cleared the guards moved and allowed them to approach the princes.

They all bowed to the Princes apart from the Queen who shook hands with them instead.

Once the meet and great was over the Queen removed her hood. The whole of the hall gasped she was gorgeous, she had long flowing silver hair that kinked up slightly at the ends, here skin was white as snow and her eyes where emerald green. Her beauty even amazed the princes who gripped onto the arms of their thrones.

"Now. I hear through the grape vine that one of my subjects going by the name of 'Red' passed through here a few years ago."

"That is correct." Paris answered

"Would you happen to know where she is if not still here?" The Queen may have looked stunning but she had the voice of a strong leader not to be messed with.

"She left years ago on a hunt with a few of our clan?" Arrow was the one to answer this time.

"What was she hunting?"

"I am sorry but would you mind telling us why you are asking about her?" Arrow gave her a confused look, the queen was obviously not going to get her answers easily.

"She is wanted for acts against my clan. She may have been born to us to her intentions are nothing but evil." The queen looked to her company while Duncan rummaged through his massive back pack and pulled out a collapsible chair. "We have been in hiding for many years. It was the only way to keep my race alive without being hunted down by those treacherous humans and there naivety." Duncan placed a monstrous sized hand on the Queens shoulder and guided her to the chair.

The queen continued her story; she was Queen Eve ruler and leader of all the Bat clan. At first she was not believed but all doubt dropped when the 2 from the back flew over to an over spoken group and beat then to a pulp.

"We are neither vampire nor vampaneze though we prefer your kind over the other. You know of your history, you are descendent from wolves as to are the vampaneze, whereas our clan we were born from bat. Both blood thirsty creatures who decided to evolve into what we are today."

"This is hard to believe. You must understand for thousands of years we have been lead to believe that we and the vampaneze are the only creatures of the night, and then when Red appeared she told us she was the only pure blood left and that only she could save her race." Arrow held his head trying to work it all out.

The queen laughed. "Well as I'm sure you can see I am many centuries older than she and rightful ruler. You have to wipe all thoughts of what she told you away. That girl is nothing but poison, she believes our race is weak for allowing humans into our ranks and she has taken it upon herself to 'cleanse' the clan." the Queen looked around the hall taking in the tied looking faces of everyone.

"Maybe we should continue this tomorrow night. A lot of your subjects look tied and out journey here was not an easy one, you are hard people to find." Duncan suggested. It was the first time he had spoken all night and his voice was incredibly scary and deep.

"Yes I agree, my head feels it is about to explode from confusion. We shall continue this tomorrow night. Eat a hearty breakfast for I feel we shall be here a long time." Arrow stood, bowed to the Queen and existed before the crowd started to ask him questions.

Paris watched him leave and smiled at the Queen. "I apologise for his hasty exit, he forgets his manors when he is confused. I can arrange rooms for you if you like." Paris waved Seba over. "This is Seba he is our quarter master, I am sure he can find you some appropriate housing while you are with us." he left his guests in the capable hands of Seba and left.

Mr. Crepsley, Zak and I all waited for the crowd to die down before making our way over to Seba and his 'guests'.

"AH Larten I'm glad you stayed, the Queen and her company will need help with their luggage. Also they are going to need to be shown where things are. It is a job I will only entrust you with." Mr. Crepsley bowed to the Queen kissed her hand and introduced himself.

Duncan cast his eye at me and Zak who was muttering about how much Mr. Crepsley was trying not to act like a lady's man. Duncan walked over to us, we never noticed until we felt his enormous hands resting themselves our shoulders... we slowly looked up to see a heavily tattooed man staring down at us. He smiled and we noticed he had about 6 teeth missing.

"Hay Emma maybe this trip wasn't a waste of time after all. You might actually find a mate, if there are more young ones like this running about." he pointed over to one of the hooded figures who were messing around with a bag. "She is one of the most beautiful girls you will ever lay your eyes on, bar the Queen of course, I would give any amount of money to whoever could win her over." He winked at us, slapped us both on the back, which hurt like hell, and walked over to the Queen who had been chatting with Seba and Mr. Crepsley about the mountain.

"Darren." Mr. Crepsley called. I walked over, bowed low to the queen and turned to face Mr. Crepsley.

"What amazing manors your young have here." The Queen cheered and patted me on the cheek. She looked at Mr. Crepsley and smiled, "You must be his father, you have raised him well." We both turned bright red.

"You could say I was his... Father... in some ways yes." Mr. Crepsley didn't really know how to respond to that one.

The Queen looked confused, "How do you mean in some ways?"

"Well I blooded him; I am his mentor I teach him what he needs to know about the clan and how to survive on his own."

"Oh. I thought maybe he was your born son." The Queen still looked rather confused, Seba in his great wisdom decided to step in.

"Your majesty, in our clan we cannot father children nor can our women bear any. If we want to increase our numbers we must go out and blood humans who are willing to change."

"WHAT?!" Duncan sounded quite horrified at this news. He looked to me and Zak.

"Shush Duncan. It is there way do not start an up evil for nothing." The Queen ordered sharply.

"Is something wrong your majesty?" Seba asked quite concerned

"No it is just we are not use to being with vampires we have forgot your ways over the years." She answered honestly.

"How do you increase your numbers then?" I asked before my mind could tell me to stop. Mr. Crepsley shot me a glare but the Queen smiled.

"We are born my dear, we have the ability to have children, and we are all pure blooded bats. We have never tried to blood a human for there has been no need, we have humans who live with us who have signed agreement they have a safe place to live and they pay us back with blood." She placed a hand on my shoulder. "We are just different, don't let it worry you."

We were about to leave when the Queen stopped. "How rude of me I never introduced you to Emma and Paul." she walked over to the only other 2 we had not meet and took their hoods off starting with Paul. He looked just like the Queen but with short silver hair and obviously more male looking. He didn't look happy that his hood had been removed. "Mother Please." he protested as the Queen tried to sort his hair out.

After she had finished with Paul she moved onto Emma and removed her hood. Zak and I both fell back on the floor. She had short raven black hair, pure white skin and blue as the ocean eyes. Emma gasped and turned bright red, obviously she was extremely shy.

"Emma is an excellent fighter. She can give bats double her size a run for their money; she is completely shy though when people can see her face, if she wears a mask or a hood she is a force to be reckoned with."

Zak and I both picked ourselves off the floor as everyone walked out. Mr. Crepsley looked at us shook his head and left us to put ourselves back together.

"God I would love to see if she is shy in the bedroom." Zak was smitten by her I just laughed at his sentence im sure Duncan would destroy him if he heard him say that.

"It's not very often you get to see a women like that." I said in a soft whisper...

"Hay you already had a chance with a bat I think it's my turn." he shot off and headed after her.

I lay back on the floor and stared at the ceiling. "Why is it always bats or a human?" I said to myself before picking myself up off the floor and running after them all.


	26. Meeting Emma

**Chapter 26 (Meet Emma)**

I took my time catching up with the group. I silently slotted myself behind Mr. Crepsley trying not to look in Emma's direction.

"Please allow me to carry that for you." Zak said grabbing onto Emma's bag.

"I'm fine, thank you." she had the voice of an angle, soft but powerful.

"It would be my pleasure no an honour to carry your bags." Zak yet again tried to grab it again

"NO, I'm fine." Her glare told him not to try again or he would pay...

Zak just stood there defeated. He looked truly heart broken, Seba and Mr. Crepsley both gave him a cheeky smile inwardly laughing at his parenthetic attempts of impressing Emma.

"You can carry mine if you're so keen?" Duncan said dropping 3 huge cases next to Zak and walking off after the Queen.

"Hay but I didn't... FINE!" He managed to pick them up holding one in each hand and the one tucked under his arm. I couldn't help but laugh as I walked past. I knew he would have stuck his finger up at me if he didn't have his hands fall.

Seba was telling our guests a brief history of every hall we passed along the way until we reached one of importance like the food hall, shower hall, and games hall. He would take them in those halls and show them around so they get a good feel for the place.

I looked over to Emma and saw she had propped herself up against the wall in the games hall. "Are you alright?" I walked over to her.

"I'm fine I'm just a little tied that's all." She removed her hood shocking me yet again with her beauty; she gave me a reassuring smile that melted my heart.

"Are you sure you are ok, you look like you may faint if I am honest."

"Ha-ha, I just need to..." she didn't manage to finish her sentence, she fainted, and I managed to catch her before she hit the floor. I called for help and Duncan came bounding over to me.

"What happened?" he picked her up and cradled her like a baby with one arm while he checked her other.

"I'm not sure, she stopped so I came over to see if she was ok and she just fainted."

"She is probably overly tied." Duncan smiled at me. "Don't worry after a good mornings rest she will be ok" He carried her over to the rest of the group. The queen decided it was about time they all got to bed before they all fainted.

All morning I tossed and turned in my hammock. No matter what I did I just could get her out of my mind. When I finally did fall asleep she was in my dreams to.

_Emma would be leaning up against the wall like In the games hall._

"_Are you ok?" I asked resting a hand on her shoulder. She looks into my eyes deeply and smiles_

"_I am now that your here" she wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me..._

I woke up quickly and looked around my room, I could feel my checks burning, and that wasn't the only side effect of the dream. I was praying no one would walk in, how I would explain that.

"Darren are you awake, Seba has asked if we would mind taking our guests to the food hall, he is extremely busy today and… Darren why are you sitting on the floor?" Mr. Crepsley asked inquisitively

I had managed to dive on the floor and put my back towards the door before he came in. "Oh me... Erm I'm not doing anything, just... wanted a change of scenery really, I'm looking at the world in a different direction." I laughed nervously hoping he would buy it.

"Well hurry up and get on with it." I let out a sigh of relief when I heard him turn around and the door slowly closing. {He didn't notice thank the vampire gods. That would have been so embarrassing.}

"Oh and Darren. Make sure you have 'calmed down' before you leave your room." The door shut quickly and I could hear Mr. Crepsley tittering to himself as he walked towards our guests. I stared at my wall blankly shocked and red faced. {He...knew...NOOOOOOO. He is going to tell everyone I can see it coming. I'm going to be the laughing stock of the whole mountain. I'm never leaving this room}

I lifted myself off the floor and slowly dressed 'BANG; BANG' "Come on Darren get your butt out here would ya." It was Zak "Mr. Crepsley told me to come and get you. He said you were still asleep when he came by, so hurry up I wanna get there before anyone gets a chance to sit next to Emma."

{THANK THE GODS. Mr. Crepsley didn't say anything} I smiled; I didn't honestly think he would but I was still pretty scared.

"COME ON, SORT OUT YOUR ERECTION AND LET'S GO." Zak ran off laughing. And I followed cursing and calling him every foul word I could think of.

Zak and I both arrived at the table, red faced and out of breath. Mr. Crepsley just shook his head and continued eating.

"Boys did you run all the way here?" The Queen asked trying not to laugh.

"Yes...yes we did... your majesty..." I answered praying Zak wouldn't say something stupid like _"Darren had to sort himself out" _but luckily he just sat down and stared over at Emma who unfortunately for him was sat in-between Duncan and Paul. So Zak had to settle with sitting next to Seba, and I took my normal spot next to Mr. Crepsley.

Everyone was involved in some sort of convocation; even Zak tore his eyes away from Emma to answer some questions the Queen asked him. I kept to myself, just listening enjoying the laughs and how well everyone was getting on. It was like we had known each other for years. It was like a family meeting all gathered around the breakfast table, just like the way we use to when I was human. My heart skipped a beat and I looked down to my lap.

I hadn't thought of my human life for years, I had forgotten I was once human, I had a real mother and father and a little sister. I remember sitting around the breakfast table and talking before I went off to school. I remember on rare occasions mom would make me and Annie pan-cakes. I closed my eyes trying to stop the memorises. I was a vampire now and these people where my family, Mr. Crepsley my Father, Seba my Granddad and even Zak had a place the annoying brother I could never shake. I felt Mr. Crepsley put his arm around me, ever since that night I saved him he showed more public displays of affection towards me. It was nice and reassuring for me, and I think it was his way of still trying to thank me for coming after him.

I looked at him and smiled showing him I was ok. He gave my shoulder a quick squeeze and continued with his conversation.

"So Darren, you seem distant tonight, do you have much on your mind?"

I looked up to see Emma smiling at me, I felt my cheeks burn.

"Erm I was just thinking really, nothing important." I smiled

"Nonsense, a thought that can make you distant even in this noisy environment must be important even if it is only to you." I looked at her amazed, not only was she pretty she was smart and intelligent as well

"Well I guess you're right, I've never looked at it that way before."

"Then I hope you remember it, so you never lose sight of the importance of your own thoughts, no matter how small they may be to others." we looked into each other's eyes for a while not saying a word. This did not go unnoticed by everyone around the table apart from Zak who was too busy shovelling food down his throat.

Emma started to blush after a while, her cheeks grew redder and redder, but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't look away, I was intoxicated by her, not just by her beauty but her presents was overwhelming.

"Darren why don't you show Emma the games hall. I'm sure she would be very at home there." The queen suggested snapping us both out of our trance.

"That sounds like a splendid idea your majesty." Mr. Crepsley said slapping me on the back. "I cannot remember the last time you were down there yourself Darren."

"But... but... I" my stuttered sentence was cut short my Seba kicking my shin from under the table. He was smiling warmly at me, but I knew in his head he was calling my stupid if I passed up this opportunity. I smiled at the Queen trying to mask the throbbing pain in my leg. "I would love to. If that is alright with Emma of course."

Emma turned bright red; every one's eyes were on her. Before she had time to respond. Duncan picked her up off her chair and stood her up. "She would love you to show her the games hall; she is just too shy to admit it." Duncan said on her behalf.

I stood and walked over and offered her my arm. She clung nervously to her and we headed off, both bright red faced.

Paul and Zak both stood about to follow when they were dragged back down into their chairs.

"Now boys let them be, you can have Darren escort you to the game halls next time." The Queen said making everyone on the table laugh.

The game hall was relatively quiet, only a handful of vampires where around all too busy fighting to notice us. I looked around for something we could do when I felt my arm being tugged in the direction of a group of vampires shouting and screaming at 2 others in the ring.

At the end of the match the winner was parading himself around like he was a stallion who had just won the Grand National. "Does anyone else think they are a match for me?" He shouted throwing punches in the air. I was going to walk away and show Emma the bars when I realised she wasn't at my side any more. I looked around franticly. Then I spotted her. Making her way to the centre of the ring. I felt the blood rush out of my face.

"I'll challenge you." Emma jumped into the ring and removed her jacket.

"You're just a child, not even a fully grown man can beat me, what makes you think you can little girl." He started laughing and so was the crowd. I was expecting her to run off all embarrassed she was after all extremely shy.

"Scared you're going to get beat by a 'little girl' are you?"

"Listen up girly, I'm not scared of anything."

"Then accept my challenge like a true 'man' and fight me."

He looked extremely angry, he walked over until he was right in front of Emma and cracked his knuckles. "Fine, you asked for it, I would say your final goodbyes to your boyfriend."

"Funny I was going to say the same to you." The crowd burst out laughing.

The "ref" of the game walked over to them and lay down the rules. "No weapons allowed, no below the belt shots, no biting. FIGHT"

The moment the fight stared the guy took a swing at Emma's face. I closed my eyes expecting to see her on the floor unconscious when I opened my eyes again. I heard a roaring cheer from the crowd and I snapped my eyes open. There was the man looking scared and shocked at Emma who had managed to dodge his attack with ease. She quickly took hold of the man's arm and threw him over her shoulder. He hit the floor hard and was knocked out instantly.

No one said a word; they kept looking from Emma to the unconscious vampire lying face down in the dirt. I thought people where going to be outraged and try to attack Emma, but they all cheered and cried out to their new champion. Everyone rushed to her and lifted her on their shoulders.

The vampire next to me nudged me in the arm "What a women ay?" She was smiling at me and I smiled back. "Yes she is truly amazing."

"You know you shouldn't really bring a Lady on a date here."

"A DATE oh no we aren't on a date aha" I rubbed the back of my head and laughed.

"If you say so kid. If you say so." he slapped me on the back and went to break up the crowd.

Emma came running over to me, "Bet you didn't think I could do that way?"

"Personally I thought you had gone mad but I'm happily surprised." I handed her; her jacket and continued showing her the rest the game hall had to offer. Every event she tried, determined to master as many as possible before she left.

We had spent hours in the game hall making new friends and trying out events neither of us had ever tried before, I never wanted the night to end, I hadn't had this much fun in ages. We decided after a while to rest for a bit. We sat on a bench on the far side of the hall and watched the other vampires in the game hall. I could feel her looking at me and my cheeks went bright red. I turned to see what she wanted but she shot her head forward and she too went bright red.

"Thank you for bringing me here." She smiled but didn't turn to look at me.

"You're welcome; I had a lot of fun."

"Me to." she looked at me and smiled. "I haven't had this much run in ages so again I thank you."

I could feel my cheeks getting hotter and hotter I was probably the same colour as my shirt now. I looked down at my lap and clenched my fists. "Well maybe tomorrow night... maybe you would like to..." my mouth went dry I had never asked a girl out on a date before.

"Like to...?" Emma repeated looking down at her lap know trying to hide the fact she was blushing.

"Maybe you would like to go somewhere else... with me?"

"You mean like... like a date?" she looked up at me with wide shimmering eyes. I could feel steam escaping from my shirt.

"Ye like... like a date. Unless you don't want to class it as a date, I would totally understand, I just thought it would be a good idea but if you don't want to that's ok." I kind of rushed the last bits out, she looked a little taken back by my sudden outburst but slowly smiled.

"I would love to... go on a date with you that are."

"REALLY!" I was shocked, I truly thought she would say no or run off but she said yes WA-HO!

"Hay kids, it's almost morning." Someone shouted from across the hall.

"Oh it's that late already, I should take you back." I stood up and my belly growled. I wrapped my arms around it and laughed. "That reminds me we haven't eaten at all since breakfast." we both laughed and headed off to the food hall to grab something to eat before we went to bed.

I walked Emma all the way to her room arm in arm. When we got there we both blushed not really wanting to part and I didn't really know what I should do or say. She slowly let go of my arm and stood looking at me.

"Thank you again for today. I... I can't wait for tomorrow." she smiled and I melted

"Ye ill come and get you a few hours after night falls, I have my lessons to do first, if that's ok with you I mean."

"I would like that very much. Until tomorrow then." I wished her a good days rest and turned to head off to my room. "Darren." she whispered, I turned to make sure she was ok, when I felt her soft lips on my cheek, it was only brief and lasted less than a second but it felt heavenly. She rushed off into her room before I could say or even react to anything. When the shock was over I ran off to my room at full speed punching the air as I went along. Mr. Crepsley was there to greet me when I got back.

"I have not seen you all night. I take it you have had an interesting time with Lady Emma." Mr. Crepsley gave me a knowing smile and patted me on the head. "It is nice to see you so happy and care free again." he smiled at me

"We are going on a date tomorrow night" I flung my arms around him and hugged him, thanking him for pushing me to take her to the games hall.

"Well I guess this is a good a time as any to give you this." he rummaged in his cloak and pulled out a lightly wrapped package.

"For me?" I looked up at him wide eyed. I don't think he ever got me a present before.

It felt like Christmas, I opened it quickly ripping the paper apart, Mr. Crepsley watched with a big smile on his face. It was a long red leather jacket. I stared at it unable to move or talk. I felt tears running down my cheeks.

Mr. Crepsley noticed to tears and in his normal fashion took it as I didn't like it. He was looking very down hearted and turned to leave. When I jumped at him and wrapped my arms around his neck. "I don't mean to cry. I love it. It's perfect, thank you."

Mr. Crepsley wrapped his arms around me and closed his eyes. He hadn't hugged me this tightly since the day he woke from his ordeal all those years ago. "It is normal for a teacher to give his pupil there first cloak but I remember you saying once you would never wear one."

I jumped off of him and ran over to the mirror in my room. I flung the jacket I had on to the floor and put my new leather jacket on which stopped just below the back of my knees, I looked so much older, and I could see Mr. Crepsley smiling in the mirror. It had everything, pockets to keep blood and even an inside pocket where I could keep my diary.

I whizzed around the room making it flap behind me, I knew I was grown up know but couldn't resist. "It's perfect I love it, I love it, I love it, thank you so much, father I love it." I didn't even realise I had called him father, I was so happy. I even ran over to him and hugged him again. He was as stiff as a board, not moving I don't even think he was breathing.

It was only when I had calmed down I recalled what I had said. I slowly let him go and looked at the floor waiting to be scolded, but he didn't say anything, just kept staring in front of him all wide eyed and shocked. I always saw Mr. Crepsley as my father I had just never voiced it. Well that is until now.

"Mr. Crepsley I'm sorry it just slipped out and I..." I looked up at him and saw tears running down his cheeks. He slowly walked over to me, and hugged me.

"Even after all I have put you through, taking you away from your human family, attacking you then leaving you out in the wilderness alone. For all the pain I have caused... I am sorry Darren." he started crying freely now. I hugged him back trying to help him; this had obviously been playing on his mind for a while.

"It doesn't matter."

"How can you say that Darren, by right you should hate me, never not even in my wildest dreams did I ever expect you to call me, or even refer to me as... as your... father."

"I know I should and I did. All those years ago I did, when you first blooded me, I hated you so badly. But... but now the thought of hating you, it just kills me. You have been so kind and helpful and you are always there pushing me in the right direction even if I don't realise it's the right road to go down. You are always there for me. Even when you went away, you never left me. That's what a father does." I nuzzled my face on his shoulder rubbing away the tears.

"Thank you Darren. And you are also very stubborn like a son should be." he laughed and wiped away his tears. He patted me on the head "You are growing up so quickly Darren it truly scares Me." he smiled

"Aha well just be thankful we don't age the same as humans, I would be an old man by now." We both laughed and joked around for a while until I fell asleep. Mr. Crepsley picked me up and placed me in my coffin before heading off to his own room yarning all the way there.


	27. Action At Debbie

**Chapter 27 (Action at Debbie's)**

A horrid smell filled the air... the floors where damp and the walls covered in blood... bodies littered everywhere.

A young woman covered in the blood of her family, battered and bruised crawling away from her attackers.

"Now, now sweetie. Don't you want to play anymore? And here I was thinking we were having so much fun." The scaled man bend down and grabbed the women by the hair, dragging her to her feet and across to the centre of the living room. "Please... Please let me go, I can pay you just please don't... don't hurt me." The women sobbed trying to wriggle from the man's grasp.

"You hear that Steve. I don't think she likes our company." Evra lobbing the women in the middle of the wet floor.

"Look, all we want is to know where that SCUM Darren is and we will gladly let you go." Steve was sitting on the sofa next to the women's half dead husband. Steve put his arm around the lifeless man and smiled. The man tried to struggle but had lost so much blood and found it hard to move.

"I will snap his neck and drain every last drop of blood out of him IF you don't tell me what I want to know in the next TWO SECONDS!" Steve lent forward pushing the man off the sofa and onto the floor with a thud. His wife tried crawling to him but Evra grabbed her by the leg and dragged her back.

She was sobbing uncontrollable. "Please... Please... Please... I don't know... I haven't seen him for years... PLEASE." Steve looked down at the husband and forced him onto his knees. Holding the man's head up in his hands he made the husband and wife look at each other dead in the eyes. "Do you have any last words to your wife?" The man swallowed hard and tried forming the words.

"De... Deb... Debbie... I... I... Love" CRACK. The man's body fell in a heap on the floor. Debbie didn't speak she didn't even breath. Her husband of many happy years had been murder right in front of her, she wanted to scream and kill them both but she couldn't move. Even with Evra pulling at her hair she didn't move.

"Debbie. Look at your husband, you see his lifeless body, all covered in blood, neck snapped into a million pieces. That my dear isn't your fault oh no." Steve knelt down to the side of her and held her head to his chest being careful not to break her eye contact to her husband's body. "My dear poor lonely Debbie. That is Darren's fault; He knew iteration with humans was dangerous. He knew this was going to happen to you; he wanted it to happen to you. Don't you think Darren has hurt you enough? Come with us and we can help you, we will kill him and all his horrid friends." Steve let go of Debbie and headed for the door, signalling Evra to follow. "We will give you time to think about it, we will be back in 24 hours."

As the pair left Evra gave Steve a worried glance, this did not go unnoticed by his companion, "What is it Evra. Don't tell me you think what I did was wrong." Steve didn't stop nor look at his friend; he just continued walking reliving in detail every moment of the event that had just unfolded. Smiling happily to himself. Evra chose to say nothing in reply; he just stared at the floor also reliving in detail the events but with not as much happiness and joy as Steve. Evra enjoyed the moment as it happened being in the middle of all that horror and mayhem, but once the deed was done regret soon fell upon him like a heavy weight almost crushing him.

"I have noticed you have started reacting to situations a lot differently as of late Evra." Steve pointed out knocking Evra out of his own thoughts. "What do you mean? Nothing has changed."

"There is no point lying to me Evra I can see right through you." Steve gave Evra a sideways glance he had noticed his friend for the past few nights of killing has stopped being so full of joy and life after the kill. "Do you regret coming with me? Giving up your life at that ridiculous cirque? Don't you want revenge on Darren? He did choose his master over you every time, wouldn't even sneak into some man's tent and help you out. Do you miss him?" Steve had stopped and turned to face Evra fully, he already knew what Evra's problem was but every chance he had to reinstate his power over Evra he would do so. A smile crept its way over Steve face when he saw the anger and hatred every time Darren's name was mentioned in ear shot of Evra.

"I hate that pig. I would gladly destroy him with my bare hands." Evra walked on heading for their destination as quickly as possible to escape that name. No more words were spoken as the two carried on their walk down side streets and back allies until they reached there holding place. To wait for 24 hours.

Debbie was alone in the blood soaked room with her dead husband. After an eternity she screamed at her body to move... like a human shell she moved around the room, no emotion on her face and no life in her eyes. She laid her husband on the sofa and made him as comfortable as a dead person could be, she covered him head to toe in sheets and old cloths and set it ablaze. The Fire engulfed the old cloths, sheets, her former husband and burnt an everlasting image in her mind, forever it would burn into her soul, and she would never forget the pain she has endured all thanks to that bastard Darren Shan.


	28. The Flowers

**Chapter 28 (The flowers)**

"Darren... Darren wake up. Come on you daft sod wake up." Zak was shaking me vigorously and sounded rather scared.

"What. What is it? I'm trying to sleep." I pushed him away and turned over in my "coffin and tried to find sleep once more, but to no prevail. Zak Jumped into the coffin with me and pushed me out and onto the floor. I lay there a while dazed, then found the energy to get up. After cursing the Day Zak was born into this world I slowly got dressed as Zak explained why he had woken me so early.

"I've not slept for the past few hours now, it's just my room, every time I close my eyes I'm positive someone is watching me, I'm positive my room is haunted. You need to come check it out with me." I was half way through putting my arm through my red leather jacket when I stopped; I froze and turned slowly towards him. "You really think your room is...is haunted?"

"I kid you not. I'm positive, 100% there is something supernatural in my room." Zak looked at me, I could tell he truly believed his story and as his friend I wasn't going to let him face this on his own. When I first arrived I hated having my own room. I thought exactly the same as he did now, but if Zak was new to the mountain I could understand. but he has been here almost the same length of time as I have.

"So what has been going on than to make you think this?" I sat down next to him and listened to his story.

"Thank the Gods you believe me, I thought you were going to laugh at me, you're a true friend Daz. Anyway, apart from what I just told you about someone watching me when I close my eyes, things have gone missing then shown up again in the most strangest of places. You know I carry around my human father's pen, just for memory sakes, well yesterday that went missing. I turned my room upside down, I searched everywhere, and I really thought it had gone forever. Well when I came back from the loo this morning it was there, in the middle of my floor. No way could I of missed it if it had of been there all the time, no way. See so that's why I think something is going on."

I stayed seated for a while, I'll admit I was creped out by Zak's story, I know how much that pen meant to him, and I know he wouldn't just leave it lying around. "Come on then let's go check out your room."

We walked quickly but quietly to Zak's room making sure not to wake any other Vampires in our hall. When we reached eye sight of his room Zak grabbed onto my arm for dear life. "What's the matter?" I whispered to him. "Daz I swear I didn't shut my door, as soon as I picked up my pen I legged it to your room. I didn't shut the door behind me." We continued slowly towards the door, turned the handle and flung the door wide open.

Nothing had been moved as far as I could see, Zak was always an untidy person but we spent a lot of time in each other's rooms so I knew where things went. The room was freezing, so cold you could see your breath, even though we lived in a mountain covered in snow and ice you could never see your breath, only in the showering rooms have I ever noticed you could. The room was silent; the only noise was of another Vampire snoring a few doors down. We crept further and further into the room, waiting on edge for something to happen.

"What in the God's name are you two doing?" The voice came from behind, making both myself and Zak dive for the nearest cover. "Have a look Daz, who is it?" Zak said shakily.

"How am I supposed to know? This is your room you look."

"How about you both stop acting like children and come out from behind the boxes."

We both agreed to look together and slowly raised our heads to peek over the top of the boxes. My face turned bright red when I saw Mr. Crepsley standing leaned up against the door way with the biggest grin on his face I had ever seen. Zak smiled sheepishly and we both left the safety of the boxes trying to hide our shame.

"Now, what in the Gods name are you creeping around for? And why did you almost jump a mile when I spoke to you?" Mr. Crepsley asked still wearing a giant smirk on his face.

"I thought I saw a rat in my room. I went and got Darren to get rid of it 'cause I don't like rats you see, and we jumped 'cause we weren't expecting anyone to be up and about at this time." Zak smiled again sheepishly paying his story would be believed, I just stood there trying not to make eye contact with Mr. Crepsley, he had this horrible way of telling when I'm lying or covering for someone just by looking at me.

Mr. Crepsley looked us bother over a few times then smiled once more and left not saying another thing on the matter. Zak and I looked at each other for a while then burst out laughing. "I have never seen you jump so high in my life." I pointed out to Zak who was rolling around on the floor laughing so hard tears where rolling down his face. "I was not alone; I thought you were going to attach yourself to the celling."

Once we had calmed down we decided it was time for breakfast, it was still rather early but food was normally prepared and ready to be eaten even before everyone was awake. Getting there super early had its advantages, all the food was still warm when you got it and you had first pickings of everything. We sat and ate our breakfast laughing about the incident in Zak's room. It would remain with us even when we are old and frail.

After a good time of being alone in the hall a few of the early birds started trickling in, Mr. Crepsley as normal was one of them. He took his food and came and joined us, not asking anything about earlier that night. Within minutes the hall went from peaceful and quiet to loud and rushed. We now had to shout to be heard whereas before we could talk at our normal volume.

Seba soon came and joined us; I offered him my plate as I overfilled it, being one of the first ones to pick your food you just get carried away. He smiled and gladly accepted pushing his plate of whatever was left behind to the other side of the table. "Oh Zak if you would not mind, I will be in need of your assistance's today. The new rooms that where being constructed have now finally been finished, and I will need your help furnishing them correctly." because Zak and his maker don't get along Zak thought it best to leave him and was taken under the wing of Seba, they had more of an employment relationship then a master and assistant relationship. Zak would work for Seba and as payment Seba would teach Zak all he knew about becoming a Vampire of good standing and help him on his way to becoming the greatest of all Vampire generals.

"Not a problem, If 'I'm honest with you I thought those rooms would have been finished ages ago, aren't they a good few months behind?" Zak had a fondness of keeping on a deadline.

"Yes they were supposed to be ready 3 months ago, however down to the consent moaning of the builders complaining about tools, we were put back." Seba waved the issue away and continued talking to Mr. Crepsley about times before I was even born. I always liked to listen to the stories Seba and Mr. Crepsley would talk about, it made me wonder if in a few hundred year if myself and Mr. Crepsley will be doing it with an assistant of my own listening intensely just as I do.

"Well then Daz I'll see you later, that furnisher isn't going to move itself." Zak said with a stretch, he slapped me on the shoulder as was the normal farewell between us and waved good bye as he left the hall. Seba soon followed leaving me and Mr. Crepsley.

"Why, if you do not mind me asking, does Zak call you Daz?" Mr. Crepsley asked quite puzzled by it.

"It's just a nick name; my human friends use to call me it to. It's just something friends do I guess." I didn't normally mention my human side very often I made a vow to myself to put my whole life into be a Vampire.

"Human customs are a very odd thing indeed, your name is Darren, not Daz," Mr. Crepsley seemed angered by the idea of nicknames but I just let him rant about how silly it was. After a while when he needed to take a breath I saw my chance to silence him. "Well I have to head off to my lesson with Paris; apparently I'm going to be sword fighting today. I smiled and gave Mr. Crepsley a quick hug before heading off to the game hall. When I walked in it was pitch black no one had lit any of the candles yes so I set to work running up and down ladders lighting as many as I could find. I wondered around for a while after I had finished and was happy it was well lit, it was very unlike Paris to be late for one of our lessons I was going to go and find him when the door opened.

"Darren I'm sorry I'm late I was stuck in a very boring and long meeting, now I know I said I would be teaching you how to fight with a sword today but there has been a slight change of plan." Paris took a seat on one of the many benches that surrounded the room. "I'm old and wouldn't be able to keep up with you, so I have a better teacher for you." The door slowly opened and I almost toppled over. Standing there in black leather body armour was Mr. Crepsley, "I know I've been teaching you even when Larten got back I continued our lessons, but with all the resent activity's I believe it would be better for you to return to studying under Larten." He smiled at my shocked and also worried look stood and left.

"Well I did not expect that to happen." I said laughing slightly I had seen Mr .Crepsley fight before he was famous for his unique fighting style and people who tried learning under him never lasted longer than 2 weeks at max.

"I thought I would let it be a surprise it was not finalised until this evening." He threw some leather amour at me and showed me how to put it on properly, he talked me through the basics of picking the right sword, "Not everyone can use pick up a sword and start waving it around, it has to become an extension of yourself, it needs to be the perfect weight and the perfect length, we tend to get young students to make their own sword but after too many people injuring themselves we let the Mountain blacksmiths sort it all out." He passed me a sheathed sword and I looked at him worried.

When I unsheathed it I found it breath taking, it was brand spanking new, not one mark on it, and it looked so fragile I was scared I was going to break it. "Obviously because of your age and only being half vampire I thought we would concentrate on one handed short swords rather than long swords that require two hands and a lot of strength to use." He unsheathed his sword which was attacked to his belt and lunged at me.

I was scared out my mind; I didn't know what to do my mind was racing I thought I was going to die, but while I was panicking instinct took hold and I managed to blocked his sword but only barely. I stood staring at our blades in astonishment but Mr. Crepsley only smiled. "I had to see what type of fighter you are instinctively."

"I thought you was going to kill me." I said still shocked I managed to block his attack.

"You were never in danger I may have scratched you if you did not manage to black it but that would be all." He patted me on the back and started to show me some simple moves I copied as best as I could and was shocked again at how easy it was coming to me, it was like I had learnt this all before and this was just a refresher course even though I had never picked up a sword in my entire like.

"Is learning to use a sword easy for everyone?" I asked him while we continued some more lunges and blocks

"Not from what I have seen only certain vampires built to wield a sword can learn to use a sword quickly." He blocked my attack and returned by slightly cutting my arm.

"How did you learn?" I asked ignoring the pain and carrying on my attack.

"I learnt when I was training to be a general, I was very much like you I learnt quick and my teacher pushed me very hard because of it." She slyly smiled at me.

"So what you basically saying is you are going to push me very hard as well." I sighed but I was glad Mr. Crepsley was teaching me again.

We had been training for 3 hours now, Mr. Crepsley had a few cuts here and there but I had then all over my arms, hands and a couple on my face. We both decided to take a trip to the showering hall. On our walk there I told him about my date with Emma.

"I said I would pick her up after my class but I don't know where to take her." I said while covering myself up with about 7 towels trying to warm myself back up.

"If you go down to the lower tunnels, there are flowers that grow this time of year, I took Arra on our first 'date' there, it is not that hard to find," I was taken aback by this bit of history, Mr. Crepsley never spoke of Arra, he truly loved her, I could tell. "You should hurry and get ready then; I have business to attend to with Queen Eve, Arrow and Paris. Be safe and have fun, but try not to stay out till the small hours of the morning like last time." He was already dressed and ready to leave; he ruffled my wet hair and waved as he exited through the large door. I smiled to myself as I quickly got dressed and ran back to my room to collect my new jacket.

When I was close to my room there was a funny smell lingering outside my door, I stood quietly and listened, I could hear things being moved about like someone was looking for something. I thought about going and finding Mr. Crepsley, but before I could move any further the door slowly opened, and I came face to face with my intruder.

"Duncan, what in the world are you doing!?" My legs where telling me to fun he was 3 times my size and if he was going to do some damage he could, just by lifting his finger.

"Darren, oh my boy I'm sorry." Duncan put his hand on the back of his head and laughed, a big grin plastered on his face.

"What where you looking for in my room?" I quizzed him.

"Well 'cause you and Emma where going on a date, the Queen asked me to have a look around see if you had any weapons, you can never be too careful." He sounded like he had been caught doing this a million times before. I peeked around Duncan and looked into my room, it didn't look too messy but I knew things had been moved.

"Well why didn't you just ask me?"

"'Cause if I had of, it would of given you a chance to hind anything you may have had, but I didn't find anything so you're in the clear." he slapped me on my back smiling like I had won an award. "Well I should let you get back to what it is you were doing." I waved him goodbye and entered my room,

"Oh and Darren," I peeked around the door and saw Duncan walking back towards me, "You look after Emma you hear me, you brake her heart, or you try any funny business, it won't be the queen you will have to worry about." My face turned a lovely shade of white making Duncan laugh at me walked off whistling to himself.

"I've never seen anything as beautiful as this." Emma looked around the hall dazzled.

"I did not even know this hall was down here, until Mr. Crepsley told me after our lesson." I walked up next to her and sat on the floor.

"How did he know of it?" She took a seat next to me and waited for an answer.

"He brought his sweetheart here on their first date. I think he comes down here some mornings just to be close to her." I smiled happily at the thought of being close to Arra down here.

"Where is she now?" she asked still looking around at all the different coloured flowers but looked at me when she heard me sigh sadly.

"She died a few years ago, there was an attack on the mountain and she died protecting it." She touched my arm and apologised for asking. We sat in silence for a while after that just looking around.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you become his assistant anyway, we are born the way we are, why did you choose to give up humanity?" before my mind could think the story just rolled out.

"It was my own fault that I had to give it up, the first time I meet Mr. Crepsley was at a Freak show, the Cirque Du Freaks, I was a human at the time and had gone with my then best mate Steve, It was an amazing show, it is strange to think some of the performers I saw back then are probably old or passed on, but anyway, Mr. Crepsley was performing with a spider Madam Octa, they did tricks and all sorts, he would control her by what I thought was magic back them, and that night after the show I went and stole her from him while he was sleeping. He didn't come after me and for a while it was good, I learnt to control her with my thoughts, then it went horrible wrong, Steve came round and while I was showing off, my little sister came in the room, screamed and I lost my control of her, she bit Steve, putting him at deaths door. I begged Mr. Crepsley to fix Steve but it was going to cost me." I put up my hand so she could see the 10 marks on my fingertips.

"You turned to save your friend?" Emma looked at me in disbelief, shock and a little sad

"Yes I did, I hated Mr. Crepsley for ages, I remember I told him once that when I get the chance I was going to kill him, but we grew on each other over the many years, I don't hate him any more, not one bit, he has always been there for me even after certain problems we always manage to get over them." I placed my hand on my chest and smiled. "So tell me about your life then, you know all the dark bits of mine," I laughed nudging her in side playfully.

"Not much to tell. I was born, grew up being told how important I was, that the future of the clan rests on my shoulders when my mother passes on, I was told I couldn't do this or that and I rebelled I trained under every grand master that would train me, I even studied under a human master, all different ways to fight and defend myself, my mother hated it, and Duncan did to just as much. when I was 13 I was kidnapped by a group of human hunters after Duncan, that's when I tasted blood or the first time, hot and sticky but it left a horrible mess, I killed them all with no regrets, when I was found and they had realised what I was capable of I became a guard for my mother, she could keep me close and I could keep her safe."

"So are you like a princess?" even though I knew she was the queens child I never put two and two together.

"No I'm not like a princess I am one, I am the Queens real daughter, she gave birth to me." I fell backwards '_I'm on a date with a Princess' _I thought to myself.

"So is Duncan like a king?" I asked I was curious to know if my room had been ransacked by royalty.

"No my father dies when I was 2." She looked sadly at the floor

"Oh I am sorry; I thought Duncan was your father."

"Duncan and my mother love each other but it can never be, Duncan was hired to protect my Mother when she was going through her training to be a Queen, and they fell in love, but she was arranged to be with someone else, My true father, and now Duncan and my mother must live together for the rest of their days never knowing the true extent of each other's love." She brought her knees up to her chest and rested her head on her knees, lost in her own world.

"Why does she not take him to be her mate now? If you don't mind me asking that is."

"Royalty must mate for life, any other vampire bat can mate as often as they like as long as they are not already in a relationship or promised to someone, royalty must be strong of will, stronger than anyone else. So even though my farther is dead, my mother must show to the clan she is strong willed and will never take another in his place. When I become of age I to will be promised to someone, so I'm taking life one day at a time until that dreaded day comes."

We sat there a while not saying anything, just thinking about how different our 2 clans where, but on the other hand how similar we were as well. We watched the flowers on the walls open and close, butterfly like animals hovering and dancing around us as we thought, and we watched the different colours of moss that hung to every inch of the walls and floor reflecting there light onto the ceiling, nowhere on earth could a place like this be possible, it was a new world in itself.

"Can I ask you something?" Emma broke the silence scaring a few of the butterflies and making a few flowers close.

"Sure."

"I mean this with respect but why do you talk differently to everyone else?" she looked at me smiling hoping I wouldn't take it the wrong way, I just laughed.

"I am sure you have noticed that Seba and Mr. Crepsley talk this way also, it has just rubbed off on me I guess."

"You must really admire them if you have taken to mimicking them, even when it comes down to the cloths." She smiled hoping not to of over stepped the mark.

"Yes I do. They have both helped me grow especially Mr. Crepsley and as I am sure you may have noticed I have a fabulous red leather coat where as they decide to wear cloaks. I could never…" something strange happened, I felt like the whole world had been flipped upside down I held onto my head.

"Darren? What's wrong? You have gone pale." She looked me over and put a hand on my cheek to check I didn't have a temperature. I jumped at her touch, "We need to go back, something is wrong" and with that I grabbed her hand and ran with her back towards the main section of the halls. Emma followed holding my hand tightly as we ran until we bumped into Zak, Duncan and Paul.

"Slow down you two, where is the fire?" Duncan slapped me on the back while Emma and myself tried to catch our breath, we were still holding hands and I could feel a burning glare come over me, at first I thought it was Zak, but when I looked up to say some witty remark I saw it was Paul glaring at me.

"So what's going on Daz, what you running away from?" Zak asked rubbing my back trying to help me breath.

"Has anything happened while we were away? Anything at all no matter how small?" I begged hoping I wasn't making a fool of myself. Zak and Duncan shared a confused look.

"Man are you ok. Nothing has happened; everything is fine, what's happening?"

"Something is wrong, where is Mr. Crep..."

Blackness.

I couldn't move but I felt weightless, I couldn't see either but I could feel warmth hitting my face, every time I spoke my only reply was my echo. All around me was dark, even after a while I couldn't make out anything.

"Darren, Darren you lazy boy get up, you'll be late for school." A female voice called to me. I snapped my eyes open and this time I was greeted by a white ceiling, something was oddly familiar about it, I slowly lifted myself up and looked around. I almost died; I was in my room, my human room.

I franticly looked around I had to be dreaming, this couldn't be, it was impossible.

"DARREN I WONT TELL YOU AGAIN GET OUT OF BED!" I looked towards my closed door that was my mom; I looked down at my hands and looked at my fingertips, no marks. I ripped my bed top open to look at my scars, nothing, I was skinny and had no muscle at all. I was about to scream when there was a knock on the door, I jumped out of bed and headed for the window, this couldn't be real.

The door slowly opened and a small girl walked in all dressing in her summer dress school uniform and hair in pig tails, "Mom's gonna kick your butt if you don't hurry up." I stood there looking at the girl's reflection in window I was planning to escape out of. It was my sister, not aged a day since I left her to become a vampire. She happily skipped away while my world started crumbling.

I got dressed at lightning speed and hated myself for the lack of red clothing I use to have, I had to settle for a pair of black jeans, trainers, a plain blue t-shit and a black jacket. I couldn't stay here, this wasn't real. I decided as I packed a bag I was going to go to the old theatre where I first meet Mr. Crepsley and PREY he was there.

With my bag on my back I flew down the stairs and straight out the front door not bothering to close it behind me.

Blackness. The same blackness I had only just woken up from, the same lack of sight, the same weightless feeling the same echo.

"Darren, Darren you lazy boy get up, you'll be late for school."

Back at the mountain, Zak stood holding Darren's lifeless body from hitting the floor. Emma check him over "He's alive, he just passed out." she looked at Duncan for the answers but he just shrugged, "Paul check him over, this is your thing isn't it?" Duncan ordered.

"Why, this... Thing has no worth to me, it would be better for us all if he stayed this way." Paul said straightening out his collar, but before he knew what had hit him, there as an amazing pain in his jaw and the taste of blood in his mouth, at first he thought it may have been Duncan, teaching him a lesson for disobeying an order, but when his vision cleared. There was a red faced Zak standing over him. Paul laughed as he stood up and dusted himself off.

"You should know I am one of the top fighters in my clan... I should kill you for striking me."

"And I should kill you for speaking so horribly about Darren, He is my best friend and no one will speak wrongly of him while I'm around" Zak took a fighting stance, ready to punch the smug look off Paul's face. "Now lads stop it, Fighting is for the game hall not for here. Darren needs our help, he doesn't need you fighting." Duncan didn't shout but his voice was loud enough for them both to heed his words.

Zak turned away from Paul slowly and headed back to Darren, Duncan was to find Mr. Crepsley and inform him on what had happened while Zak and Emma took Darren to the medical wing where Duncan and Mr. Crepsley would meet them there.


	29. Awakening

**Chapter 29 (Awakening)**

Duncan ran through every hall and corridor, scanning every room, until he reached the hall of princes. There stood Mr. Crepsley, Arrow, Seba and The Queen chatting and discussing matters beyond Duncan's understanding. He approached slowly, he's mind was in overload. How was he going to tell Mr. Crepsley. From what he had seen of the pair they were close more like a bond of farther and son then master and assistant.

"Duncan, come and join us we were just..." The Queen was smiling when she saw him as she always does, noticing the worried look on his face she stopped. "What's happened? What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

Duncan bowed to his Queen. "I don't mean to alarm any of you it is just... Darren has..." His sentence was cut short in a fraction of a second of my name reaching the ears of Mr. Crepsley he shot over to Duncan. "What has happened to Darren?"

"I'm not sure. He ran into us, asking if anything bad had happened he was positive something was going on, something really bad, and then he just passed out. I've tried waking him up but it's like he is in some sort of coma. I've told Paul and Zak to take him to your medical hall." That was all Mr. Crepsley needed to know, he ran off towards the halls closely followed by Seba, and Duncan.

For what should have been a 20 minuet journey, Mr. Crepsley and his followers made it in 5. Mr. Crepsley stood in the door way, he saw me lying motionless on a slab table being fussed over by their vampiric doctors and nurses who were franticly trying to find out what had happened. The room was alive with noise but Mr. Crepsley couldn't hear a thing. He didn't even notice Zak who was trying to talk to him.

"Mr. Crepsley?" Zak stood and watched as a man who only wore a stern look on his face, now overcome by worry and fear. He reached his hand out slowly and placed it on Mr. Crepsley's arm shocking him back into reality.

"Mr. Crepsley. Are you alright?" Zak asked

"What happened?" It was all Mr. Crepsley could bring himself to say.

"I'm not sure. He had gone somewhere with Emma, they had gone for a few hours before he ran back. Franticly worried something bad had happened, we tried asking him what was going on but he passed out, and we couldn't wake him up." Zak looked over to Darren then down to the floor worried he may have lost his best friend. Mr. Crepsley knew Zak and me where close; he looked down at the young vampire and placed his hand on Zak's shoulder. "He will be fine."

"How can you be sure? It's not normal for someone to get that worried and then just pass out, what is something bad happened to him?" Zak asked fighting back tears.

"I know Darren, he has been with me for many years and he does not give up a fight so easily, you will see. In time he will be back to his normal self." His words held no truth or comfort for himself, but he could tell it made Zak better, but for him, he was scared, he could lose everything if I never woke up.

A week had passed and there was no change, I could breathe for myself and my heart was normal. "It's like he is just asleep, but in a sleep he can't wake up from." one nurse said as Mr. Crepsley sat next to my bed side, he hadn't left my side for a second, and if he needed to he would get Zak to sit next to me just in case I woke up.

It was Midday and the halls where empty, everyone tucked up in there coffins sleeping the day away. Mr. Crepsley had fallen asleep in his chair next to my bed. He heard a sight noise in the room, not loud enough to shock him out of sleep but loud enough to make him half wake up. He looked around the room groggily, at first the room seemed normal, same dark 4 walls with only a candle or two left lit in the far side of the room but it felt strange.

Mr. Crepsley sat up in his chair and scanned the room. That's when he noticed a small figure sitting in the chair on the other side of the bed. "Well I see the boy hasn't woken up yet, I didn't think he would be out for this long."

"What do you think you are doing in here? Get out." Mr. Crepsley didn't shout nor did he need to any intruder would have fled at the malice in his voice.

"Now; Now Larten that is no way to speak to the man who built this place." The small figure stood from the chair and walked over to the door way.

"Why are you here Mr. Tiny, it is not to show your concern for Darren."

"On the contrary, Darren has a very big role to play in my upcoming masterpiece" Mr. Tiny smiled an unnatural grin.

"What do you mean? Explain yourself." Mr. Crepsley demanded

"Darren is stuck, I have made it so he cannot wake up till he has learnt what he needs to know, I could wake him up but where is the fun in that. Give it time, he will wake up when he has learnt. Then I will be back and he will be coming with me." Mr. Crepsley shot Mr. Tiny a look that would of scared any man but he was up against Mr .Tiny nothing in the world could scare this particular "man".

"Why would Darren go with you? He will stay here! Now wake him up!" Mr. Crepsley took a step closer no fear on his face, he was sizing up to a man who could easily send him into the vacuum of space if he wished.

"No." Mr. Tiny plainly said and started to walk away into the shadows. "Once he has learnt he will wake up on his own time. Neither you nor any other vampire can do anything about it. And I'm sure Darren will make up his own mind when he wakes up. After all I have a lot more to offer him then you ever will." and with that he was gone. Mr. Crepsley lent up against the door confused and more worried for me then he was before.

"Darren wake up you're going to be late for school." A woman called up the stairs. I opened my eyes and looked around, "4069 times I've relived this stupid moment." I said to myself as I flung off the bed covers, "Anne Don't bothers knocking my door I'm up."

"How did you know I was gonna knock your door?" She called through the door

"You have done it 4069 times already!" I yelled as I pulled on a pair of plain trousers and dull top.

"How have I done that? You're just being silly." Anne said as she ran down the stairs.

"I'm fed up of this. I've tried of everything and every time I leave the house I'm waking up in this stupid bed all over again. I do not understand this at all." I walked out of my room like I had 4069 time before and walked down stairs for the same breakfast I had eaten 4069 times before. "I made your favourite Darren om.."

"Let me guess an omelette, oh goody" I interrupted this person portending to be my mother

"How did you know that?" She asked shocked

"He did it to me before I knocked his door this morning; maybe he is a freak and can tell the future." Anne laughed

"No I know because I have gone through this with you 4069 times already... 4069 blinking times of eating omelettes, and listening to you knock my door. That is how I know!" Anne and my 'mom' looked at each other and then shared an odd look at me.

"Well you must have had bad night's sleep Mr. Grumpy. Now eat your food and head out to school, hopefully your mood will be better when you get back." Mom placed the omelette in front of me and left the kitchen to take Anne to school.

I eat my omelette in silence till I realised. "I'm in the house by myself? I've never been in the house by myself?" I stood up and opened the back door, I could see the garden path, the swing at the bottom of the garden but everything around the house was faded, like looking at the world through someone else's glasses.

"I've never tried getting out the back door." I took a deep breath and let my foot hit the floor, but I didn't get sent back to waking up like I had before when I left through the front door, I had one foot on the garden path, I could get outside.

"Now what? I can get out in the garden and I can get back in the house but why no further?" I looked around the garden then back at the house, I glimpsed up to my bedroom window and my blood ran cold, there staring at him where two giant eyes in the shadows. Where ever I would move the eyes would follow.

"What the hell is going on?" I whispered to myself, never taking my eyes off this figure. "Well I guess if anything happens I can always just run out the front door and ill end up back in bed." I walked back into the house and closed the door, but when I walked into the living room everything had changed. Black covered the walls, a coffin sat in the middle of the floor. I froze confused and admittedly a little scared. I slowly made my way to where the door to the stairs used to be but it was all sealed off.

"What is that noise? It sounds like crying... What in all the Gods is going on here?" I scanned the room trying to look in every corner to see where the noise was coming from; when my eyes reached the coffin however there where 3 silhouettes knelt at the side, crying holding cloths I remembered faintly they were holding the cloths I was wearing the night I 'died'.

I backed to the wall, shock had taken over, I could remember hearing them cry and scream but I never seen their mournful faces, but know everything had changed, I could see and it made it even more horrific for me... more real.

"Do you remember this Darren? The pain you put your parents through, your little sister to, the hurt you put on them." I spun around the room. The voice sounded like it was coming from everywhere.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

"What a silly question. I'm you; well I'm going to be you anyway."

"What do you mean? Show yourself!" I watched in horror as a figure slowly stared to appear from out of the darkness, I froze as an exact copy of myself walked over to me, this figure was evil though and was covered in scares.

"This is impossible, how can you be some future me! I'm me!" confusion had taken over and I was getting scared, if I could just run for a door I could start the day again but I was trapped by this eviler version of myself.

"I'm what you can be… if of course you make the right chose, if you decide to leave the mountain and never return, leave it all behind and go in search of your true destiny." The evil me walked over to the wall and opened the door to the stairs. "If you go upstairs you will see what you will become if you stay at vampire Mountain. Or you can head out the front door and relive this silly routine over and over and get your real family back, it may not be perfect but it's better than what you have."

"What do you know about my life? How dare you say what I have is not any good, you know nothing!" I wanted to rip this evil me apart, but he had already faded into the wall. I huffed and puffed trying to straighten things out in my mind.

I walked out into the hall way, I looked at the front door, it was bright and sunny outside I could hear kids laughing and playing, then I looked up the stairs, it was dark and dank like looking into a black hole. My head screamed for me to go out the door live with the family become as normal as you can be in this place, but I knew I had to go up the stairs, it seemed to be the only way I could get back to Mr. Crepsley, Seba, Zak, Emma and all the other vampires I call my family.

The hike to the top of the stairs seem to take a life time, the higher up I went the darker it became, I felt around the walls remembering the layout of the house so I knew where my room was. I reached for the handle and gripped it tightly. "Well here goes nothing" I said to myself as I opened the door. The room was blindingly bright I had to shield his eyes. I slowly took a few steps further into the room, opening my eyes very slowly so they could adjust. I blinked a couple of times and lifted my head to look around and screamed.

Blood hugged the walls and ceiling, there where limbs scattered all over the place. The smell was thick and humid, as I looked around I noticed heads piled up in every corner, I covered his mouth fighting back the burning taste of bile.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" I shot round and noticed a figure knelt down next to a pile of heads, the eyes I had previously seen from the back garden where now looking me dead in the face. It scared me right to the pit of my stomach. "I've been waiting ages for you. I have something to show you." This Demon looking thing smiled, his teeth where all sharp and pointed with chunks of flesh stuck between them. I heaved as the Demon rummaged through the pile and pulled out a blood stained bag.

"This was our first kill."

"Our first kill?" I asked worried

"I'm sure you met the other you down stairs the one that leaves well i'm the full vampire you if you stay at the mountain... when you wake up from this you will have to make some REALLY hear choices. It's a dog eat dog world out there and only the strongest survive. You will have to learn kill or be killed."

"I don't understand what choices? What is going on?" I was getting angry and scared.

"SHHHH... I want to show you this first it will be your first choice." The demon opened the bag and pulled out a severed head, I looked confused at first not noticing what or should I say who it was. "We killed him first. He was holding us back. Not wanting us to be free, being this way we got so much more then he could ever offer us. We are free from Mr. Crepsley." The demon turned the head to face me. I almost died there and then. I fell to my knees tears filled my eyes, my entire body hurt, my soul hurt seeing this. The demon put the head back in the bag and placed it back under the pile. I was too much in shock that i couldn't move.

"If you choose to go with Mr. Tiny he can unlock your true power and you can be like you downstairs, but if you stay with Mr. Crepsley... you will be like me and everyone will die because you will be too weak to stop it. I suggest you go with Tiny. Kill them all yourself, quick and painless. Or watch as you are helpless to stop them being ripped to shreds by your once close friends." The demon rolled 3 heads to me and I looked down slowly and was greeted by the heads of Red, Evra and Steve. I didn't blink I didn't say or do anything. Shock at got a tight grip on me and wasn't letting go.

"It's not all bad me. You get used to it. It's easy after the first 100 you kill." The demon laughed evil drenched and socked it as it left its mouth and flowed into my ears there to stay for the rest of my vampire life. I fell flat on the floor and watched as the demon played with the heads while he laughed, I closed his eyes and prayed I would just die.

I opened my eyes a time later and was greeted with a cold stone ceiling, in a room with only 2 candles to light the whole room. I moved my hands slowly to my face covered my ears and screamed as every detail, every horrifying memory of that room of that demon fell into my mind crashing into to like a wave.

Mr. Crepsley jumped 6 foot in the air, ready to fight he stood in front of the door, but the screams continued and no one was at the door. Mr Crepsley looked confused for a moment, the he slowly turned round. I was thrashing on the bed kicking and screaming, hand tightly coving my ears like my life depended on it.

"Darren!" Mr. Crepsley shouted as he ran over to my side pinning him to the bed "Darren, It is ok, you are safe, it is me." Mr Crepsley shouted for help as I struggled against him. The room flooded with people wanted to know what all the screaming was even the princes stopped the meeting they were in so they too could investigate. It took 6 fully blooded vampires to hold me down. Mr. Crepsley and Zak where both trying to make me see sense.

"DARREN!" Mr. Crepsley screamed. I stopped and my eyes snapped open "M...M...M...Mr. Crepsley?" I said shaking in fear. Mr .Crepsley didn't get time to answer I flung his arms around him and buried my head in his shoulder and cried uncontrollably.


	30. Realisation

**Chapter 30 (Realisation)**

Everyone had left the room leaving myself, Mr Crepsley, Seba and Paris all trying to calm me down worried I might pass out again if I didn't control me breathing.

"It is alright Darren you are safe in the mountain." Seba soothed as he rubbed my back.

After a while I stopped crying and sat up straight so I could breathe, Paris passed me his handkerchief and I giggled slightly "I didn't know people still used these anymore."

"Well I got that from a once lover of mine way back when I was a little older then you, I didn't know what it was till I saw everyone else using them." We all laughed a little and I lay back on the stone bed. "How long was I out for?"

"Not that long really" Paris said before anyone else could answer. I looked at Mr. Crepsley. "How long?" I knew he would tell me the truth.

"Almost 2 weeks." he replied softly

I laughed "Felt more like years"

"What happened to you Darren? Duncan and Zak can only tell us a small amount" Paris asked before anyone else had the chance Seba shot the prince a look "He has only just recovered please give the boy some time."

"I know it is not ideal Seba but if there is a virus that had done this or a contaminate I need to warn people. I am sorry for asking but I need to know for the clan." Paris placed his hand on Mr. Crepsley's shoulder and waited for his approval.

"Please Darren, tell us what happened, did you get sick?" Mr. Crepsley asked but I could see he felt bad for asking. I got out of bed and walked around stretching, Seba and Paris took the seats next to the bed where Mr. Crepsley had remained seated on it.

"I was in my human house, with my human family, I relived the same morning over and over I seemed to go on forever. Every morning my sister would knock the door, my mom would make me an omelette." Paris looked confused obviously never encountering the omelette before. "It is an egg dish you eat for breakfast." He smiled for the explanation and I continued. I told them everything I could remember, about the garden the living room, the evil me and our conversation but when it came to talk about the demon vampire me I struggled but I had to battle through the last room of my story. I sat on the floor and held my knees up to my chest, just wanting to become as small as possible.

Mr. Crepsley walked over to me and sat on the floor next to me, he dangled his long arm over my shoulder and rubbed my arm, I smiled at him and rested my head on his shoulder. "We know you could never cut my head off Darren. You are too short to reach." We all laughed and I lightly punched him on the arm. "Zak and the others are probably worried about you, they are in the food hall maybe you should go and meet them and eat while you are there." He smiled at me and ruffled my hair I stood up and walked over to the door and looked back.

"Are you not coming?" I asked looking around at everyone.

"We will join you shortly I just have some things to discuss with Seba and Paris which would only bore you." He smiled at me again and I trundled off my belly rumbled loudly at me so I picked up my pace.

Once Mr. Crepsley was sure I was gone, he shut the door and began "Mr. Tiny came here not too long ago. He said that Darren would have to choose whether or not to go with him or stay with us." Mr. Crepsley said clearly scared for me, Seba and Paris shared a worried look.

"Why wasn't I informed?" Paris asked

"I did not find it necessary at the time my main concern was Darren." Mr. Crepsley looked at the floor like a child being scolded.

"When Mr Tiny is involved it is everyone's business to know, I know you and the boy are close, I admit there is something about Darren you just have to like and get close to, but if Mr. Tiny shows and interest in just one of us it affects us all." Paris stood up now acting on his role as prince rather than a close friend.

"If I may sir?" Seba asked also standing so he didn't need to raise his voice. "maybe this is for the best, if only we three know there will not be any panic, we are on 'tender hooks' as it is with the issue with this vampaneze bat, we would be wise not to start any unnecessary panic on top of this." Seba placed a hand on Paris's shoulder.

"I guess you're right, last thing we need is panic ridden vampires running about, but you still should of said something if not to me then at least to Seba." Mr. Crepsley nodded in agreement and apologised. "Now what we have discussed doesn't leave this room, and put your face straight Larten." Paris joked and pushed Mr. Crepsley.

It took me a while to get the food hall, and when I got there I was deadly tied. I stood in the door way and scanned around for Zak, his purple cloths normally stood out like a sore thumb with everyone else wearing either black or going topless.

"DAZ!" I looked to my right and was greeted with the smiling face of Zak running over to me. He wrapped his arms around me and flung me around in a circle like a rag doll.

"Hay Zak. Please stop spinning." I said feeling my face turning green. Zak let me go and I fell in a heap on the floor and the room continued to spin. Zak dragged me up and helped me over to the table he sat me down and thrust a mug of blood under my nose. I smiled my thanks and happily drank it down. I looked around and noticed the table was empty apart from me and Zak.

I was about to ask where everyone was when I felt a monstrous hand slap me on the back making me spit out my mouthful of blood. "Darren! Good to see you up and about, gave us quite a scare, thought you was dead." Duncan laughed and I just looked blankly at him trying to smile. "Dow worry if you had of died I now S.P.R" He winked at me and both me and Zak burst out laughing.

"But seriously, you alright?"

"Ye I am fine, still don't know what happened." I looked down at my cup hoping that would be the end of it.

"So what was it like? Do you remember anything about when you were out of it?" Zak asked before shovelling food in his mouth. I looked around I didn't know how to answer then I had a brilliant idea. "Ye I remember you coming into my room and confessing you loved me. It was touching really." Duncan boomed out laughing as Zak choked as he tried to swallow and laugh all at once.

"DARREN!" I turned around slowly and was knocked off my chair and onto the floor,

"Hi, Emma." I wheezed, she flung her arms around me and hugged me so hard I thought I would pass out again. "Emma as lovely as this is please let go... I need to breath." I laughed

"Oh sorry." She gave me a shy smile, turned bright red and helped me up and back onto my chair. Once I was settled again she punched me in the arm. "Ouch! What was that for?" I laughed

"I thought you was dead!" she tried to look at me menacingly but I could tell she was hiding a smile.

"I'm sorry." I smiled and took her hand and kissed it. She blushed. I smiled at her again and turned to eat my food Zak had grabbed for me.

"So have I missed much the past 2 weeks?" I asked

"Not really, I've been fitting out the new rooms and thanks to these 2 we're going to get it done quicker than expected." He pointed to Duncan and Emma.

"Ye if it hadn't been for us it would have still been a few months behind but we made the time back." Emma added smiling at Duncan

"Yep we are super heroes." Duncan and Emma laughed together for a while longer while I and Zak just chatted as normal.

"Darren it is nice to see you up and about." A soft voice interrupted, I turned to see the smiling face of Queen Eve standing behind me, she placed her hand on my shoulder as I tried to stand and bow, "Please, continue your meal, I am here to speak with Duncan, but I am glad you are up and well, maybe now Emma will stop worrying so much." She laughed and kissed me on the head. Duncan stood and left with the Queen looking as happy as ever.

"Hay Emma, can I ask ya something?" Zak asked leaning over the table.

"Ye sure" She said wiping her lips with a napkin. I never knew where she got them from but every meal time without fail she would have a nice clean one.

"Is there something going on between Duncan and Queen Eve? I know it's not of my business, it's just that I have never seen a man as happy as Duncan is when he is with the Queen?"

"They unfortunately aren't mates, as my mother is queen she can only mate with one and even if that mate dies she is still bound to him." She smiled sadly

"That's sad. I feel sorry for them." Zak stared off into the distance and didn't say much else for the rest of the meal.

"Well ladies and gents I am going to head back to my room. I am getting a head ache." I said as I stood from my seat Zak stood up to. "Ye I should head back to work. Coming Emma? I could do with your help again if you wouldn't mind."

"Na I don't mind. You gotta have someone telling you how to do it right." she laughed and pushed Zak

"Ye whatever." Zak laughed and pushed her back "Well Daz its nice having you back, when your 100% you can come help to." He slapped me on the shoulder and headed for the door.

I looked at Emma and smiled, we hugged and I kissed her on the cheek. "Do not let his head get too big." I joked

"He is alright, talks about you a lot you know. Says you are more like a brother to him, I can see why. You would be lost without each other." she put her hand on my cheek and smiled. "I'm really glad your back." she hugged me once more and left catching up to Zak who had been waiting for her by the door. I headed for the door to the sleeping chambers when I saw Seba standing outside talking to one of his many helpers. I stood back waiting for their conversation to be over before I went to him.

"I cannot believe how much like Larten you look Darren. I remember when he was your vampire age he was a terror." Seba smiled at me and asked me to walk with him. As we walked I noticed I was just a tiny bit shorter then Seba I smiled at myself. "You have grown much since you first came here Darren. You have been through so much since your trials."

"I sometimes wonder if the Gods are constantly testing me." I confessed

"They most likely are, but that is only because you are special Darren. The God's have a plan for you." He placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled.

"But why me? Why can't I have a normal vampire life?" I sighed lightly

"It is cannot not can't." he corrected me and I just laughed. "The God's never make things easy Darren." I couldn't help but sigh again; Seba ruffled my hair. "I know you and Larten have been through much, but you are both strong and I can tell your bond is very strong to, whatever the gods have planned for either of you, I am more them positive you will be great."

We walked around for a while not saying much, he showed me some new tunnels, a new breed of spider he had found hiding in the depth of the mountain. We eventually ended up sitting in the chamber of final passing, it was oddly relaxing, just the sound of the water flowing by. I looked at Seba wanting to ask him something but decided not to.

"Ask your question Darren." I looked at him confused "It is not hard to see when a child has a question." He looked at me and I scowled "I am not a child."

"To me Darren you are a child. I still saw Larten as a child until he took you as his assistant, so please ask your question?"

"What was Mr. Crepsley like before all this?" I asked looking down at my 10 scars on my fingertips. Seba looked at me oddly obviously not expecting that to be my question

"Well when I first met Larten he was a blacksmith, owned a shop in a small village, I could tell he had a rough life, but there was something hidden, he had potential. I started bringing him my weapons from time to time. I think he always knew I was different from the first time I walked into his shop. He was a rare type of person the kind you knew who was born to be a vampire."

"How can someone be born to be in this vampire world." I asked puzzled

"Ask Larten why he blooded you, why he changed his whole view on assistance just for you, He could have had his pick of assistances. Everyone wanted to learn from him, but he refused them all every one of them. That is until he met you."

"We don't talk about the reasons why he blooded me. There are many things we do not speak of" I confessed

"Well maybe you should, it would give you a better understanding to Larten. I now he is not the easiest of people to get along with. He was my assistant for many, many years and I sometimes found it hard to be around him, but I spoke with him and I understand him as he understands me." Seba smiled at me, stood and left.

I watched him leave and looked around the room thinking to myself, "Does he think I need to talk to Mr. Crepsley about something?" I stayed in hall listening to running water till I fell asleep.

I hadn't been asleep long when I started feeling like I was being watched; I sat up slowly and looked around rubbing my eyes free of sleep. There was no one as far as I could tell. I stood up and headed to the door what was once a nice relaxing cave was putting me on edge.

"Master Shan, leaving so soon?" A voice called from behind me, I froze I knew instantly who it was. My gut told me to run but my legs wouldn't work

"Now I didn't recommend you running Master Shan. I would hate to have to break your legs."

I turned slowly and smiled weakly "Mr. Tiny. What brings you here?" Mr. Tiny smiled and walked over to the bench I had only moments ago fell asleep on, he tapped the seat next to him and I reluctantly walked over and sat down on the edge just encase I needed to make a quick escape.

"I'm glad you woke up. I was starting to think you would never learn what I sent you in there to learn." He laughed at my face, shock, horror and fear filled my body. "Yes Larten had that face as well when I came and saw you when you were sleeping."

"What?" I was lost. "Mr. Crepsley did not mention you had of came to see me." I stood up ready to leave and find Mr. Crepsley so I could ask him when I felt the bone in my leg snap clean in two. I could feel the colour leave my face as I fell on the floor.

"I told you I would. Now I don't care what Larten tells you or not. You know why I'm here. It's time you took your rightful place next to me. I can give you everything these filthy vampires cant." He opened his arms, was he expecting me to embrace him?

I laughed fighting back the pain in my leg "If we are so filthy, why are you saying my rightful place is next to you sounds hypercritical to me." I continued to laugh. That is until Mr. Tiny grabbed me round the throat "Don't EVER laugh at me and NEVER back chat me. You don't understand what I can do to you; you stupid boy. Steve took his place thankful I chose him! Now it's time you took yours." He let go of me and I feel again on a heap on the floor. I was so scared I couldn't talk. My mind was racing 'What does Steve have to do with this?'

"Steve is the yin to your yang, your other half in all this. In the end there can only be one but I have seen the future, if you come with me you will win against him and both clans will be yours. If you stay here this clan will fall, everyone will die and you won't be able to do anything about it until it is too late and your turn into that demon you saw."

I lay on the floor speechless; the Gods really were testing me.

"You have 10 years to make up your mind, and for your sakes I hope you see sense and say yes. I would hate to have to kill everyone close to you." I looked up to speak but he was gone. My head ran around in circles, all I knew was I had to get help for my leg. I dragged myself to the door; the pain was unbearable I cured the gods for everything they put me through.

I checked the corridor hoping someone was down here, but there was no-one. "Great! Well thanks a lot God's you really are perfect!" I continued to drag myself along the floor till I decided this may be easier if I could get up, at least then I could hop. I clung to the wall and tried to lift myself, I was half way up when I lost my grip on the wall. I hit the floor hard and landed on my broken leg. I screamed in pain and didn't move.

I lay there for at least 15 minutes to scared to move I could hear faint footsteps in the distance, I looked around to see if I could see anyone and my eyes lit up. Queen Eve was walking in my direction. "Darren I was in the hall of princes when I heard a cry of pain. What happened to you?"

"How did you hear me from the top of the mountain?" I asked forgetting the pain in my leg for a moment.

"I'm the Queen of the bat clan; my hearing is second to none." She moved her hair away from her ear. They were long and pointed at the top a lot like elf ears. I moved to get a better look but moving hurt my leg and I winched in pain.

"We shall talk of this later right now I think we should set that leg." I looked at her horrified "What do you mean 'set' my leg?" my face again drained of colour

"We need to put the bone back in place, if we don't it could heal in that awkward position and it could make walking on it near impossible." She smiled at me and put her hand on my cheek "I will be quick; you won't even know I've done it." She looked down at my leg then around the corridor. She ripped two candle holders off the wall and bent the metal into two straight lines and placed one either side of my leg. She would look at me and smile whenever she came close to my leg as I would finch and it would hurt.

She ripped the bottom section of her dress into one long strip and placed it on the floor next to my leg. "OK are you ready?" She looked up at me, I shook my head franticly I was far from ready. I opened my mouth to say "no" when all I felt was a pull on my leg, and a tight squeezing feeling straight after. I felt sick; it hurt so much I couldn't even shout.

"See all better that wasn't so bad was it?" She smiled at me and helped me up onto my good leg. "I could carry you. It would make the trip back a lot quicker"

"No thank you." was all I could muster to say

"I'm sorry I now it hurt but if I had of said it will hurt like hell you would have been even more afraid, and it will never be that bad again, trust me."

"Oh and how many bones have you had set?" I asked sarcastically, she was a Queen she wouldn't of broken any bones, or so I thought.

"I have broken 497 bones over my lifetime so far, every one of them I have had set back in place. I'm so use to it I could do it myself now. The only bone never to have been broken in my body is my little toe." she laughed at my face, the thought of setting my own bone made me feel sick.

"I bet you thought just because I'm a Queen I would have other people to have their bones broken in my name." She looked at me waiting for an answer.

"Well to be honest yes I thought you would be too important to have any bones broken." I half laughed

"Well 70% are down to training or wars. Mostly wars if I'm honest and the rest was down to fighting with my late mate." She stopped smiling when she mentioned him.

"He would fight you!" I was disgusted "How dare he! What a coward!"

"It is ok, I broke more bones in his body then he did in mine." she tried to make it like it was no big deal. "It is far from ok, I could never hit my mate, it is cowardly and wrong!"

"It is nice to see that chivalry isn't dead, If only you had come along 500 years ago." She smiled and I blushed which only made her laugh. "But seriously Darren, that was a while ago, I snapped his neck clean in two when he took it too far." I wasn't surprised by this, she was a powerful women, He was either a very foolish or a very pig-headed man by raising his hand to her.. We didn't speak any more about it on the walk and hobble back. She was about to take me to the medical halls when I spoke against it.

"With respect I would just like to go to my room."

"Are you sure? A doctor should really check your leg over."

"I think a Queen who has had 497 bones set is more than capable of doing a better job than the doctors." I smiled at her praying she would just take me to my room, I had spent enough time in the med halls and I didn't want to spend any more time there. Thankfully she agreed and took me to my room.

She helped me into my coffin and told me to shout if I needed anything, she pointed to her ear "I'm sure I'll hear you" She bid me good night and left. Now I was alone I could worry about what Mr. Tiny wanted with me.


	31. Maybe The Gods

**Chapter 31 (Maybe the Gods)**

"We have to start heading back soon; I don't know how long we will be gone." Emma sat holding my hand. They were all returning to their home to see if anything new had been found out about Red or the vampaneze bat. I had forgotten they weren't from the mountain they just fitted in so well it was like they had been around forever. I hugged her tightly and wished time would just stop, but all good things must come to an end. There was a knock on the door and we knew it was Duncan coming to collect her.

She held my hand tighter as Duncan opened the door. "Come on, it's time to go. We will be back in no time you wait and see." He walked over to her and placed his monstrous hand on her back. "Yes you will see it will fly by and I will still be here when you come back, especially if I keep breaking my leg." I joked, I hadn't told anyone how I really broke it, I had managed to get everyone to thinks I did it while wondering the bottom halls which were full of holes and odd dips. I knew Mr. Crepsley had his doubts but he kept them to himself.

"I wish you could come and wave us off." Emma said sadly looking down at my leg half laughing, it had been a week since I had it snapped but I still couldn't move much without causing myself a ton of pain. I kissed her forehead "I know I wish I could to, but you know I am stuck here."

"I know, I just wish you had of been more careful." She half smiled at me kissed me on the cheek one last time and left. Duncan walked over to me and slapped me on the back like he had done so many times before; I was going to miss it. "Well I guess I'll see you soon, don't worry ill hold my tears back till I get out of here." He laughed

"Ye I will try and contain myself until you are out of sight." I laughed. "Have a safe trip." I said shacking his hand and with that he left. Queen Eve had came and said her goodbyes to me earlier that night before anyone else and as for Paul I wasn't expecting nor did I get a guest appearance from him.

I lay there in silence for a while just listening to the world around me moving along while I was stuck in my room. I thought back to the conversation Mr. Tiny had with me, the fact I had 10 years to choose and the most disturbing thing for me, he visited me while I was passed out and Mr. Crepsley never told me. I had been off with him since that day, I hadn't spoken to him much and I always pretended to be asleep when he came to see me.

I knew I would have to talk to him especially now everyone had gone, Zak was busy with his work under Seba and didn't have the time he use to where we could chat and run amuck. I would have to talk to Mr. Crepsley eventually, might as well make it tonight.

I was thinking about what I would say to him when Zak came bounding in "Just thought you would like to know that Duncan, Queen Eve, Emma and the pain in the ass Paul all left safe and sound, Emma seemed gutted to be leaving but Eve said they would be back in a few years no longer than 5 so all is well." He smiled at me but noticed I wasn't listening. "Emma also asked me to tell ye she was never coming back and that she is going to go and marry a human and have kids and call the family dog Darren..." when I didn't react he punched my shoulder.

"WHAT THE... Oh hay Zak when did you walk in?" I asked puzzled

"I've been here about 5 few minutes now I was just saying everyone went ok. Dude are you ok?" He asked placing his hand on my shoulder.

"Ye just got some stuff on my mind."

"You are missing her already?" Zak said trying not to laugh.

"That is not why I have a lot on my mind; I think being stuck in here has just made me go a little mad." I joked

"Well you can't get any worse than what you already were." He punched me in the arm again and ran off laughing before I could say anything back at him. I heard him come to a sudden halt outside my door and could hear him chatting.

"Hi, Mr. Crepsley, Daz is up if you wanna go and see him." He said before running back off to work. I felt nervous all of a sudden I had to talk to him I had to know if Mr. Tiny did come and see me while I was knock out. I waited for the knock on my door... any minute now. But nothing came. I looked at the door confused. Maybe he knocked and I didn't hear it. I thought to myself as I hobbled over reaching out for the door handle but I froze, I put my hand on the wall for support and rested my head on the cold wood of the door. I knew this relationship between Emma and I was hard on him, I could see him distancing himself from me and it hurt. Yes I liked Emma but I could never choose her over Mr. Crepsley. I realised then, that I would always need Mr. Crepsley no matter how old I got.

Mr. Crepsley stood in front of my door, ready to knock but something held him back, he sighed loudly and dropped his hand to his side. Even since Emma and I have started 'dating' he started to realise that I wasn't going to need him forever. He lent up against the wall next to my door. He knew I wasn't telling him the whole truth about how I broke my leg, but I was growing up and there was nothing Mr. Crepsley felt he could do if I didn't want to tell him something, he couldn't force me. The thought of losing me hurt him deeply. Even through the hell he went through all those years ago being locked up and beaten everyday his main worry was leaving me the way he did. He ran a hand through his crop of orange hair and straightened himself out. He reached out to knock the door again ready to talk this through.

"LARTEN...Larten, thank the Gods you are here." a very red faced Seba huffed as he ran towards his old apprentice.

"Seba? What is it? What is wrong?" Mr. Crepsley asked reaching out to help support his old mentor.

"Larten, Mr. Tiny is here, in the halls of princes demanding to see both you and Darren." Seba huffed trying to catch his breath, worry painted all over his old tied face. Mr. Crepsley felt a cold shiver run up his back. I had heard the conversation through the door and my blood ran cold, I slowly opened it and hobbled out.

"What does he want?" I asked not really bothering to hide the fact I had been ease dropping. I was extremely worried on the inside but it didn't show at all on the outside. Seba looked to both myself and Mr. Crepsley and shuck his head. "I really do not know. We did not even know he was here until Paris asked me to find and warn you both."

"Can you go and tell them I will be up as quickly as possible. Tell them Mr. Crepsley is helping me make my way there so it may take us a while." I smiled at Seba who nodded squeezed both mine and Mr. Crepsley's shoulders and ran off back to the hall to relay my message.

"It's ok. I know Mr. Tiny came and visited me while I was asleep, if that is what you are worried I will find out." I placed my hand on his shoulder to show him I wasn't mad that he didn't tell me.

"But how?" He looked at me confused as he wrapped his arm around me to help support me while I walked.

"Tiny told me before just before he broke my leg." I could feel Mr. Crepsley's eyes on me, but I just kept looking forwards.

"I had a feeling you were not telling me the whole truth but I never expected that monster to have done this to you. I am sorry Darren I was not there to help you."

"There is no need for an apology Mr. Crepsley. He warned he would do it if I tried to leave but I did not listen and this was my punishment." We continued to travel in silence from that point on not really needing to say anything else. We had only just managed to get outside the living quarters and I was already tired and I still had to get to the top of the mountain in a respectable time. As we slowly made out way to the hall of Princes other vampires who had heard Mr. Tiny wished to talk to us wished us luck and offered to help get me up to the hall. I thanked them but kindly refused, it wouldn't of been a show of weakness to anyone else but to me it would have been, it was different having Mr. Crepsley's help, he was my maker, but anyone else's help I just couldn't accept.

"So you've finally decided to show up." Mr. Tiny laughed from his seat upon a throne. It had taken Mr. Crepsley and I 40 minutes to get up to the hall but we spent 5 minutes straightening out and making ourselves look presentable before we entered. As we walked past the large doors I felt something inside me change. The sight of Mr. Tiny would normally scare me seeing him was like looking pure evil in the face, but something was defiantly different I felt mischievous and an uncontrollable eager to make his life difficult filled my body and soul. Mr. Crepsley had let go of me now and I was walking as best I could head held high so no one would think me weak.

"Apology's but as I am sure you are aware I cannot use both legs at the moment, but you already knew that." I heard everyone around me gasp I even heard Mr. Crepsley take a sharp intake of breathe and glare at me. Yes he hated the fact it was Mr. Tiny who broke my leg but not even he would say something like that to the small man.

"Well; well my boy, maybe I should break the other leg to teach you some manners." Mr. Tiny just smiled but I remained tall showing him no emotion what so ever. I couldn't explain it my brain had turned off and I was being pushed by an over welling force to just hold ground and show him no fear at all. To show him he couldn't control everyone with fear.

"I only show manners to those who deserve it and you are just not one of those people." I could see I was rubbing him up the wrong way but instead of throwing myself to his mercy and apologising I oddly enjoyed it.

"You Master Shan have become quite strong willed. I must admit I admire that." He stood from the throne and started making his way over to me his footsteps echoed through the hall. I stood my ground and kept constant eye contact determined not to back down no matter what. "I haven't had someone stand up to me in years, I always thought it would be Larten he always seemed so hell bent of doing the complete opposite to what I would say… but clearly I guessed wrong who would of known." The hall remained silent I had a feeling Mr. Crepsley wanted to grab me and run before Mr. Tiny could injure me further but he fought it back. I could feel every one's eyes on me all shocked and horrified at the show of disrespect I was showing this monster but I kept my eyes glued to Mr. Tiny's.

After a while of silence Mr. Tiny laughed and tapped his hand against my cheek. "You have guts Master Shan. I hope I see more of this courage in the years to come, it will make it even sweeter when you take your place by my side." He laughed once more, turned and started walking back to the throne he had been previously sitting on. All the other vampires in the hall including the Princes started muttering and chattering to themselves about what they had just heard.

"You are wrong about that also, why would I go with you? You can offer me nothing I want or need." I didn't shout but my voice was loud enough to silence to chattering vampires.

"You yourself have seen what will happen if you stay here and become a full blooded vampire. Your only option is to come with me my boy, the sooner you realise that the easier it will be on everyone, unless you're true wish is to watch everyone around you die while you are helpless to stop it." He just grinned at me most likely imagining how much fun that would be to watch.

"I have only seen what YOU wanted me to see. There was nothing in that to show it was the future or just you trying to scare me into your direction. To any point I would rather die than by at your side." The hall went deadly silent, no one knew what had happened, one minute Mr. Tiny was sitting on a throne the next he had his slimy hands around my throat pinned up against the doors of the hall, I saw Seba and 3 other well-built vampires jump and wrestle Mr. Crepsley to the ground and held him there before he could reach us. The hall was in complete shock and astonishment as the shouts from Mr. Crepsley were silenced by someone laughing.

Everyone looked around expecting Mr. Tiny to have already snapped my neck and was laughing in triumph, but to everyone's horror it was me laughing while I was still pinned to the wall with Tiny's hands clenched around my neck, Mr. Tiny was so shocked he let me go, I landed on my feet forgetting about the pain in my leg, I lent up against the wall and just continued to laugh. Even when Mr. tiny threatened to kill me I just laughed harder.

Once I managed to calm down I wiped away my tears and just smiled at a still stunned looking Mr. Tiny. "You may say there are 2 options either way I end up by your side after watching everyone dies or killing everyone myself, but I see 2 other options, either I get strong enough in the next 10 years and stop everyone from dying or I kill myself and your 'big plans' blow up in your face."

"You think I would let you kill yourself, you are lucky boy, if I didn't already have plans for you; you would be dead by now." We just stood there a while glaring at each other not noticing all the other vampires sitting around silently not really knowing what to say or do, even Mr. Crepsley has stopped struggling against the people pinning him to the hard floor. After a while, when Mr. Tiny knew I wasn't going to make this easy for him he just smiled and straightened himself out.

"You will make a fitting trophy when I break you Darren, and believe me everyone can be broken. But back to business the real reason I have come here. This relationship you have with that vampire bat girl, it stops now, you can see her, you can talk to her but you will not go any further with her, she cannot and will not be a complete part of your life." I opened my mouth to protest but he silenced me with a wave of his hand. "Please don't be foolish enough to think I'm joking, I broke your leg for walking away when I told you not to, Just think of what I could do to her if it continues and that is no joke Darren, and if you need more convincing…" Mr. Tiny smiled and clicked his fingers; a loud scream filled the hall, I turned around to see Mr. Crepsley rolling around the floor holding his arm close to his chest.

"I will break every bone in his body until you agree Darren." This time I couldn't help but feel fear, but not for myself for Mr. Crepsley, I saw Mr. Tiny slowly raise his hand ready to click his fingers again. "I think I'll break his leg this time." He smiled at me and was ready to click.

"STOP! Fine, I will break it off. I will not go any further with her. The Gods may strike me down if I go back on it, just please, please stop." I could see the enjoyment on his face as I agreed to his terms and it made me feel sick. He clicked his fingers one more time and I feared he had still gone and broken Mr. Crepsley's leg; I turned around quickly but was relieved to see Mr. Crepsley looking at his now fixed arm.

The hall was silent as Mr. Tiny took his leave and remained silent as the doors closed behind him. I walked over to Mr. Crepsley to make sure he was alright, I put my hand on his shoulder and was about to speak when he grabbed me and pulled me into a hug in front of the whole hall. I know understood why Mr. Crepsley didn't like public displays of affection as I felt uncomfortable and a little embarrassed. I was about to say something when he grabbed my shoulders and held me at arm's length.

"Are you insane? Did that break to your leg damage your brain? He could have killed you Darren, or worse." Mr. Crepsley picked himself off the floor dragging me up with him. "What was running through your mind?" I had no answer for him so I just looked at the ground.

"Darren, were did that come from no one has stood up to Mr. Tiny in… well no one ever has." Paris asked putting his hand on my shoulder. I tried to explain the change inside myself while I walked through the doors but I could tell they couldn't understand. I just about to tell them to forget it when I voice came from the crowd.

"I understand what you mean; I use to be like it with my human father." It was Zak he shuffled his way through the crowd until he was face to face with me. "When he use to push me to far no matter how scared I got I would zone out, lose touch with every emotion and just go for it." I was pleased to see someone understood me and for the first time since I walked through the doors I smiled. "It's just being rebellious." He added.

"That may be so but his rebellion could have gotten himself killed or worse Mr. Tiny could have killed everyone." Arrow pointed out silencing Zak who knew better then to get into a debate with Arrow.

"I cannot explain it. I was being pulled to this; I knew no one would get hurt even when he had his hands around my throat I knew I was not going to die." I tried to explain again but this time I knew Zak couldn't stick up for me.

"I think Darren may have been following the will of the Gods." Everyone looked around to Paris who was now seated at the far end of the hall obviously pondering something deeply.

"What do you mean Paris? The Gods don't work that way." Arrow huffed

"You are not a god Arrow you don't know how they work none of us do. This wouldn't be the first time the Gods have taken an interest in someone of our clan; it is just rarely heard of." Paris pointed out still concentrating hard.

"I've never heard anyone being pushed by the Gods, it just seems too farfetched." Arrow walked over to Paris and took a seat next to him.

"When I was in my first term of being a general a young boy was presented before the princes of that time." While Paris told his story a lot of us took a seat to listen. "He had slain an entire village of humans for what at the time seemed like no good reason."

"Does this have a point?" Arrow interrupted but was soon silenced by Paris clapping him over the back of the head. "If you stay quiet and let me finish the point will become clear. Arrow muttered to himself but apologised and stayed quiet. "As I was saying, he slain the entire village, when he came to council that year he confessed what he had done and when asked why he did it his answer was 'a powerful force told me to' while he walked through the village he went through a change, he killed them all believing they were a village of vampire hunters readying an attack on this very mountain. He was laughed at of cause they killed him of fear he was mad and he was forgotten."

"Yes I remember the commotion that trial brought, I was new to the mountain when it happened but I do remember it pretty well." Seba added and was also concentrating on something deeply.

"So are you saying the Gods told him to kill everyone there? That's ridiculous." Arrow huffed again and was again silenced by Paris.

"A few years after his execution I was sent on a scouting party to the village and after looking around to see if there was anything of value that could be sold or used in the mountain we stumbled across a secret underground meeting hall, the bodies of dead vampires 'decorated' the halls, a vast armoury of stakes knives and swords with books titles 'the killing of vampires' could be found all over. Maps where hung on the wall with daggers imbedded into them where the mountain was. They had planned the attack the day the boy killed them all."

The hall remained silent everyone pondering the story, some vampires left saying the God's were only there to guide us not force people's hands others left to pass on the tail of what had happened between myself and Mr. Tiny. Eventually the hall was empty apart from Paris, Seba, Mr. Crepsley, Zak, myself and a handful of guards that remained inside the hall at all times and while the halls were silent I couldn't help but feel a horrible sense of in trepidation and confusion as to why the God's would pick me…


	32. Bad News

**Chapter 32 – (Bad News)**

"Do you really believe the Gods could be pushing Darren?" Seba asked in a hushed voice so not to wake me.

"I do, Seba but unfortunately I can't tell whether it's a good or bad sign." Paris shared a worried look with the group.

"I don't understand though, I thought if the Gods were involved it would be a good sign." Zak spoke up

"We cannot pretend to know what the God's are planning. Of cause I believe the Gods would help the clan but that doesn't necessarily mean this clan of the here and now." Paris explained but Zak just looked blank at him confused.

"What Paris is trying to say is, the Gods can see everything, the past, present and future, they may be getting Darren ready to do something that will either benefit the clan as you know it now, or it could benefit the clan in may many years to come." Seba placed his hand on Mr. Crepsley's shoulder who had been stroking my head while I slept on his lap. Everyone could tell he was worried never in his years had he ever seen me act like that and deep down it scared him.

"We should really start heading off to our coffins the morning has already started drawing in and we have a busy night ahead of us." Paris stood and yawned.

"What do you mean a busy night?" Zak asked querulously.

"Most of the mountain would have already heard of Darren standing up to Mr. Tiny by now, we will all be questioned to tell our sides of the story." Zak's face dropped but he stood offered his arm to Seba and headed off to 'bed'. Mr. Crepsley stayed seated not wanting to wake me. He looked up when he felt Paris's hand on his shoulder.

"You care a great deal for Darren." He was more making a statement then asking a question.

"Yes I do, and I do not understand why." Mr. Crepsley answered honestly.

"What is there to not understand?" Paris asked taking his seat once again.

"Why did I blood him? Why did I bring him into this, if I had of just let him have that ridiculous antidote he could of lived his life as a normal human boy and not be dragged through this."

"Larten if you hadn't of blooded him we would all be dead, it was he who found out about the larking Vampaneze. He has brightened up many vampires lives including mine and yours. Do you really believe you could have handled the loss of Arra by yourself without having Darren to fall back on?" Paris stood and left before he had a chance to answer. Mr. Crepsley sat there a while longer with me still sleeping on his lap. He shuck me gently when he too started to feel tied and in need of rest. I woke slowly and smiled when I saw Mr. Crepsley.

"Oh hay, I guess I fell asleep." I sat up in my chair and stretched.

"Yes you have been asleep no longer than an hour." He ruffled my hair and stood up, "Come on." He held out my hand and helped me up, I yelped when I stood up on both legs. "I forgot about that." I said looking down to my broken leg, Mr. Crepsley just smiled and stood in front of me and allowed me to jump on his back. I snuggled my face into his cloak the warmth of it willing me to sleep. "I am sorry if I scared you." I sleepily said and fell back to sleep.

I woke up that night feeling as though I had been drink nonstop for a week, the room span and the light of the candles made me feel dizzy. I groaned to myself and sat up slowly. "What in paradise is going on?" I said to myself not noticing Mr. Crepsley sitting in the chair across from me.

"I am assuming you do not feel all too well?" I jumped in the air and spun around but before I could speak I threw up and fell back knocking my coffin off the table and onto the floor. I could feel Mr. Crepsley talking to me but I couldn't talk if I did I feared I may throw up again. I just sat there on the floor leaning against Mr. Crepsley chest. "Stop the world, I wish to get off now." I half laughed, half trying to hold down more vomit. Mr. Crepsley just laughed and stoked my hair out of my face.

We remained on the floor for another hour and I had started to feel a lot better I could talk and move my head without feeling instantly sick. "It could be down to the fact you have not eaten or drank blood for a while." He said helping me off the floor and steadying me on my feet. "Come, the dining hall should not be very crowded we should get you something to eat and drink."

As we made our way I noticed everyone was looking at me, some with admiration in their eyes others with fear. "Why is everyone watching me?" I asked as we entered the hall and taking our regular seats in the far corner Zak and Seba were already there talking about the latest build they were attempting, they both bid myself and Mr. Crepsley good evening and continued their conversation.

"It is because you stood up to Mr. Tiny, now they do not know whether or not to be frightened by you or admire you for it." Mr. Crepsley passed me a plate of dried meat and a loaf of bread, he placed 8 cups on the table and filled them all with blood, I eyed him oddly when he passed 1 to Zak and Seba kept 1 for himself and left the others by me. I was about to question about it when my brain clicked. "WHAT! Run that by me again please…I stood up to Mr. Tiny… Are you joking I am not suicidal." I was shocked but I could tell by the surprised faces of everyone else in the hall I wasn't alone.

"Darren, do you not remember last night?" Seba asked stopping his conversation short with Zak.

"I remember going to the hall, Mr. Tiny was sitting on the thrown… and I think I fell asleep… Yes I fell asleep Mr. Crepsley woke me up he said I had only been asleep no longer than an hour." I looked at Mr. Crepsley hoping he would back me up, but he looked as confused as I did.

"I thought you remembered, you stood up to Mr. Tiny stayed in the hall with myself, Seba, Zak and Paris a while then you fell to sleep." I stayed seated trying to remember but it was bank I couldn't remember any of it. We finished eating and drinking in silence, when I was done Mr. Crepsley helped me up and took me away from the hall so he could explain to me what had happened.

We ended up in the hall with all the flowers where he took Arra on their first date and I brought Emma on ours when I thought of Emma I felt sadness and a string of pain. We sat down and I listened to the tail Mr. Crepsley had to share, I knew he wouldn't lie to me or make any of it up so I believe everything he told me, even when he told me I agreed to end it with Emma and I had sworn to the Gods I wouldn't take it any further. He looked at me sadly when he was finished and he could see a few tears escaping down my cheeks.

"I am sorry Darren. I wish I could have told you a happier tail, but I would not lie to you about this." He put his hand on my shoulder and looked at the ground.

"I know you would not lie to me about this or anything." I put my hand on top of his and smiled at his honesty.

"What will you do?" He asked referring to Emma.

"I do not care about the agreement I made with Mr. Tiny but I do care I made this agreement and swore it to the Gods and for that reason alone I will stick by it." Mr. Crepsley smiled at me sadly but also with pride, he knew when I first became a vampire I did not believe in the Gods and I didn't understand why the vampires did things the way they did, but now he could see how much I had grown up, he could see how much I had left my human side behind and was only concentrating on being a vampire of good standing and he couldn't help but smile at me proudly.

6 years had been and gone I spent most of it training learning how to fight and most importantly how to win. Mr. Crepsley did most of my training and I also had a study buddy Zak had asked is he could also learn how to fight with me and I was glad Mr .Crepsley accepted him. People still feared me but I had learnt to live with it the fear had grown now I had bulked out, I looked the age of a human 20 – 21 year old and I enjoyed looking older, no one treated me as a child or as a rebellious teenager I was a man. I still relied heavily on Mr. Crepsley and we still played around but that was more when we were in private or in the company of people like Zak, Seba and Paris.

"I think we should take a break." Mr. Crepsley announced jumping out of the arena and putting down his battle axe. At the call of a break Zak and I both fell to the floor and panted, the more potential we showed the harder and more brutal Mr. Crepsley's lessons would become, but it was nice to have someone who could keep up with me like Zak. He too was a quick learner and already was a champion wrestler when council was in call, we both still looked quite like we wasn't much so it was nice to knock a lot of big bulky vampires on their arses when we were challenged and when Zak took out the champion last council he became known as the 'Thin killer' though he never killed anyone. I wasn't a champion at anything but I was runner up in Mr. Crepsley's special style of fighting, he had taught me over the years in the hall of flowers just the two of us.

"God is it me or does Mr. Crepsley look like he could do this all day." Zak said dragging himself off the floor and out of the arena.

"Yes I think he enjoys it." We laughed as we slowly made our way to the mess hall where Mr. Crepsley was already sitting in his usual spot already eating. Once we grabbed what we wanted we both sat down and rested out heads on the table.

"Is he working you hard?" Seba asked sitting down I could tell he was enjoying our misery as much as Mr .Crepsley was. "I remember when Larten use to sit like that after 5 hours on nonstop drills." Seba laughed but Mr. Crepsley just continued eating. When Zak and I sat up to eat we had a quick chat and a catch up on what had been going on in the halls.

"Zak have you managed to get the last row of rooms fitted?" Seba asked as he stole a slice of dried meat off Mr. Crepsley plate, I couldn't help but laugh at the look Mr. Crepsley would give him and how Seba would just pretend to ignore him.

"Ye I've just got one more room to do and I'll have that done before morning."

"Excellent, I knew it was a good idea to keep you on." Seba laughed and turned to me looking less happy.

"What have I done this time?" I asked smiling

"I have some news for you, but you will not like it." He said shuffling around in his seat.

"Whatever it is Seba I am sure I can handle it, it cannot be as bad as digging duty you had me on a few years back."

"The Queen is returning, she should be here in a month's time." He spat out not wanting to sugar coat it. My insides froze; in all honesty I was hoping they would never return so I would never have to break the news to Emma, I could feel everyone watching me concerned. "Thank you for telling me." Was all I could say I stood up "I am going back to the arena I shall wait for you there once you are finished."

"Wait up I'm almost done I'll go down with ya." Zak shovelled the last of his food into his mouth and ran to catch me up still chewing. We walked in silence until we reached the arena.

"So how are you?" Zak asked as he picked up his battle axe and attacking a dummy head on.

"I am fine." I sat down on the side and just watched.

"Ye right you can drop the act I can tell your hurting man." He embedded his axe into the dummy and sat down next to me, "So I'll ask again… how are you?"

I looked down at the floor and sighed. "To be honest with you Zak I'm terrified. I had hoped she would never come back." I looked up to Zak who I thought of as my brother and I couldn't stop a few tears escape and trickle down my cheek.

"Hay now come on." He placed his arm around me and hugged me, the think I liked most about having Zak around was when moments like this happened it never felt weird. I had cried on his shoulder and he had cried on mine in the past. "Come on I have an idea to cheer you up." Zak said squeezing my shoulder and jumping up.

I Stood up slowly and wiped away the few tears and smiled only the Gods knew what he was planning. I followed him into the centre of the ring and laughed as he picked up a handful of throwing stars. The one thing I had learnt about Zak over the years of training was he couldn't use throwing stars to save his life, it was always comical to watch, and even Mr. Crepsley laughed a few times at his attempts. He knew he was terrible and only did it to get a kick out of it.

"You ready to get your butt kicked." Zak asked half laughing and half trying to keep a straight face.

"Are you sure you wish to do this again, I am sure you remember last time." I giggled at the memory of Zak entering a throwing star competition at the last council as a dare from Seba. He didn't hit the target once but managed to get one of his stars lodged into the arm of one of his team mates. It was safe to say no one from that day ever let Zak near throwing stars again.

"That was just a fluke the guy got in my way." We said aiming up his star to a target on the wall.

"Ye sure a fluke, it is not like the guy was standing at the other side of the ring talking to some girls… Oh maybe that is why you hit him you wanted all the female attention." We laughed for a while and continued our little competition. Every time it was Zak's turn to throw I stood behind him it was the safest place I could think of. In the end as per norm I won I managed to score 355 and Zak broke his record of 4 but scoring 12. He was very pleased with himself.

"I worry how you will fair if throwing stars were your only weapon to hand." We looked up and saw Paris watching us.

"It's alright I'll just have to beat them with my bare hands." Zak said flexing his muscles, I knobbed agreeing with Zak's statement. He was a fears fighter I had only ever been in the ring with him once and he beat me in less than 2 minutes almost breaking my arm and leg in the proses.

"Well I originally came here to tell you that Seba has asked for both of you to meet him and Mr. Crepsley in the new building area. Apparently he has found something that will interest you; I swear if we add anymore rooms or halls we are going to need a bigger mountain." We all laughed and walked together towards the new section of the sleeping sells. We parted ways with Paris who was on his way to the hall of Princes apparently he had a meeting to attend but Zak and I both recon it was a rouse.

"Boys I am glad you are here I have something very special to show you." Seba said pooping his head out of a door way and signalling us to come inside. We held our breath expecting this room to be the most amazing thing we would ever see in our very long life time.


	33. Looking Into The Past

**Chapter 33 – (A Past Look.)**

"Seriously this is the big discovery?" Zak asked as we eyed up a rusty cup.

"I was expecting something a bit more…impressive." I said honestly disappointed. Seba and Mr. Crepsley just looked at each other and signed. "Do you young people even read about history?" Seba asked shaking his head.

"I read quite a lot; well I mean to say I did. I was top of my history class in school. Please do not tell me you think that is the Holy Grail." It felt weird talking about when I was a human but it made my point. All Seba and Mr. Crepsley did was laugh, "My boy the Holy Grail has been hidden for years, do you really think mankind would be ready for such a thing." Seba shuck his head, "Besides what makes you think it is a cup. Seriously boys you need to catch up on your Vampire history.

"We have tried but when you go back about 700 years it turn to Latin we think it is and neither of us and read or talk that." Zak said still eyeing up the cup.

"Ah well that would explain why you do not know what this is." Mr. Crepsley pitched in handing the cup over to Seba and dusting off his hands. "This is the cup our very first Prince drank blood from on the night he was announced and accepted as a Prince of Vampires and Vampaneze alike." I was more interested in the cup now I knew of its history, I eyed it more closely and noticed teeth marks around the rim of the cup and asked about it.

"I had not noticed." Seba said holding the cup closer to his face to get a better look then passing it onto Mr. Crepsley who did the same. "I have no clue; maybe the Princes can shed some light on this." Mr. Crepsley pointed out handing me the cup so I could have a good look at it. The room went cold as I made contact with the cup and my body went numb, I couldn't hear anything other than my own breathing. I closed my eyes and wished someone would take the cup out of my hands, but when I opened my eyes I was somewhere new. I looked around trying to figure out what had happened where had everyone gone? Where was I?

I tried to walk around but my feet where stuck in place, I was rooted to the spot. I tried to adjust to how dark it was in the room and I could just make out a door but I had no way of getting there. I tried shouting but oddly my voice didn't even echo, this hall was empty, cold and from what I could tell it was quite large I should have heard my echo even if I whispered but nothing. I was stuck in place for what felt like years still with this cup glued to my hand. I tried shouting again, throwing the cup at the door, and even just standing in silence. I was about to try to sit down on the floor when the door slowly and eerily opened.

"But Sire our brothering is not pleased about a ruler over all." A voice came from behind the partly opened door.

"Brother I am sorry but in this time of war we need to band together and find strong rulers to help us all through this crisis." The voice sounded familiar to me but I couldn't place it. The door opened fully and I got blinded after spending so long in the dark the candle light that spilled through hurt. I could hear people running around the room and I could tell they were lighting candles on the walls; I slowly opened my eyes and waited until I was completely adjusted to the light before looking around. What I saw almost knocked me off my feet if I wasn't rooted to the spot I would have been on the floor.

There standing in not 3 feet from me was a very big built and old looking Mr. Crepsley and standing on his right side was a much manlier older scar riddled looking me…

"Sire I beg of you allow me to stay and protect you, you cannot defend our new home by yourself you will need help." My older self-begged

"My boy you are one of the greatest warriors we have, I need you on the fields killing our enemies and showing them what happened when they disobey us." The older Mr. Crepsley waved his hands and the few others in the room left, leaving himself the older me and myself still in the room, though luckily no one had noticed me at all so I assumed I couldn't be seen.

"Please Master I do not feel I will see the end of this war and I cannot leave you without someone to protect you." My older self-threw himself to the floor and held onto the older Mr. Crepsley's knee bugging. He patted him on the head and lifted his chin.

"My boy if you are taken from this world you can be sure that sometime in the future we will find each other again the gods keep bringing us together I am sure they will continue to do so." This Mr. Crepsley grabbed a cut that looked the spitting image of the one in my hand and cut himself poring some of his blood into the cup and my older self in return did the same. They both drank from the cup biting the rim they had drunk from.

"I will hide this cup in the highest part of the mountain, if we are ever brought back together I'm sure eventually we will find it and our past will become clear to us then." This Mr. Crepsley placed his hand on his Darren's face and the world spun for me, I could feel I was going back and I didn't want to, I had so many questions, what war where they on about it couldn't have been the vampaneze war. I closed my eyes again and I felt like I was falling, a sharp knock to the head made me open my eyes and I found myself looking up at Seba, Zak and Mr. Crepsley. I rubbed my head and smiled showing I was alright, I looked around slowly getting my bearings back.

"Darren what happened?" Seba asked fussing over me.

"Do you know if we have any drawing of our very first prince?" I asked not really paying attention to Seba trying to check my head.

"Let me see… They may be one in the old books but I cannot be sure." That was all I needed to know, before anyone could ask me anything I jumped up from the floor and ran off to the bottom of the mountain where all the records were kept. I was already nose deep in a book when Mr. Crepsley walked in and stood in the doorway watching me.

"What are you looking for Darren?" he asked breaking my concentration and making me look up to him over the rim of the book in my hand. Before I knew it I was telling him the tale of what I had saw when I was handed the cup still while searching through the books and old records. When I was finished he remained silent while I kept searching through records unseen by any vampire for many years. The dust was thick on the books and after a few hours I had to take a moment out of the room while I coughed and sneezed, Mr. Crepsley didn't help me look he just sat in the door way looking at the cup he still had in his hands.

He looked up at me when I dropped a big book on the table and smiled to himself as I coughed again after an explosion of dust attacked my throat. "Why are you so determined to find this picture?" He asked it quietly, he was most likely thinking out loud but I answered anyway.

"I need to know if what I saw was real." I answered not looking up from my book.

"Does it really matter Darren? Many men have wasted their lives searching for things they just are not meant to find." I could tell he thought I would become obsessed if I couldn't find what I was looking for.

"I am not a man though, I am a vampire and I have much more time on my hands then most men." I looked up from my book and smiled at him. He walked over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed it gently, I put my hand on his to show I was going to be alright.

"Just remember Darren we are not immortal."

"Yes I know, everyone's time will come to an end even ours but I just have to know. The older you in my dream he said we had been together before and the gods keep bring us back together. Well what if he was right, what if the gods do keep bring us back together, what do you think that could mean?" I asked hoping he would be able to answer my question in a mysterious magical way but I knew he didn't know.

"We are not meant to understand the Gods Darren, but if it is that important to you I will help you find your answers." He reached past me and picked up a giant leather bound book and started opening it.

"I am grateful for the offer I really am, but if you cannot read how will you be able to read the book?" I asked slightly embarrassed for bringing it up, I hated talking about it though we took lessons together and I helped him I knew he wouldn't be able to read even 5% of the book.

"You are looking for a picture are you not? I shall look for this picture and you can do all the reading." He said nothing else and took his seat back in the door way. I looked up at him briefly and thought about how much like my human science teacher he looked right now with his nose in a giant book. I couldn't help but laugh. "What is funny Darren?" He asked still concentrating on the book. I told he nothing and we carried on in science.

"So… how's the studying going?" Zak asked slapping me on the back.

"I think I am going mad in that room. Seba could there be any other documents anywhere else in the mountain?" I asked hopeful but his long pause didn't fill me with joy at all.

"We could ask the Princes themselves. I am sure if any more documents existed they would know where to locate them." Mr. Crepsley pitched in before taking a sip of his blood. We had been looking through the books for 2 nights straight only leaving for food, drink and the occasional bathroom break. This had been the first time we had been able to sit down and talk with our friends in what felt like years.

"I would have to agree with Larten, I do not recall ever seeing any documents in the mountain other than in the records room." Seba said as he stole some dried meat off Mr. Crepsley's plate.

"I did not think you liked dried meat?" Mr. Crepsley asked eyeing Seba suspiciously.

"I do no, I think it is the most tasteless thing in the world." We all looked at him shocked ever since being here it had become normal for Seba to steal some of Mr. Crepsley's dried meat, he didn't do it all the time but 4 times out of 10 he would.

"Then why nick some?" Zak asked

"You will understand when you have apprentices of your own." Seba just laughed and drank his water and blood. Zak and I both looked at Mr. Crepsley waiting.

"What are you looking at me for?" He asked trying to hide behind the cup he was drinking from.

"We obviously do not have any apprentices, but you do so you should be able to answer why Seba does it?" I asked knowing Zak was thinking the exact same.

"Why would I know just because I have Darren does not mean I understand everything my old teacher does, and frankly I would not want to." Mr. Crepsley and Seba shared a smile and the conversation was dropped we would just have to wait and find out for ourselves.

"Wow could you imagine me with a little follower." Zak laughed to himself

"I would feel sorry for the poor boy." Seba chuckled

"Well for all you know I may pick a girl apprentice." He huffed

"Oh please you do not even know how to talk to the females in this very mountain, how would you possibly instruct one of your own?" I asked laughing at Zak's unhappy face.

"You guys are just mean. Come on I bet Mr. Crepsley thinks I would be good at it?" He smiled at Mr. Crepsley hoping he would back him up.

"I would advise against it." At that we all laughed, Mr. Crepsley had an elegant way of telling people they would be terrible at something and it was always funny to listen to.

"You watch once I have become the greatest general, I will set my sites on being the greatest teacher this clan has ever seen." Zak boasted to himself and I could only slap him on the back and smile.

"Well I am going to see if Paris has a spare moment for me so I may ask him about the documents." I stood from the table and bit my fair wells I knew Mr. Crepsley was going to go back to the records room to try and find the picture if it even existed.

The walk to the hall of princes was a very peaceful one everything was quiet and the halls where empty except the odd 1 or 2 vampires on guard who nodded a hello as I walked past. When I reached the doors they were closed which was unusual, I looked around and noticed no one was around, the guards who should be at the door were gone, there was no one. I felt a strange feeling come over me something was truly wrong. I thought about going and getting Mr. Crepsley just in case something was wrong, but if something was wrong how could I justify just leaving. I walked back down to the halls and asked one of the closest guards who I had passed on the way. He passed the word for all the guards to meet at the hall and run to the doors.

"Darren I need you to go and inform Seba about this. Don't tell anyone but him, not even Larten." The Guard didn't give me any time to ask anything he pushed me away to get Seba. I ran off to find Seba. I ran all the way to his quarters which he was just about to enter. "Seba!" I shouted just before he closed his door, he was smiling when he saw me but I faded when he saw the look on my face.

"What is wrong Darren?" I quickly explained to him what I had seen and what the guard told me to do. Seba nodded and asked me to get Mr. Crepsley.

"The guard told me I was only allowed to tell you, he personally told me not to tell Mr. Crepsley." I said feeling horrible I had to keep him out of a situation I knew he would want to know about.

"Very well, come with me." Seba took my arm and we made our way to the hall.

"Sir we have tried everything but we just can't get in and no one is answering the door." The guard said rubbing his shoulder after trying to force it open.

"Where are the guards who are meant to be here?" Seba asked looking around.

"Sir I'm not sure, we are currently searching the mountain for them but with little success." The guards always called Seba Sir, I asked Mr. Crepsley about it once and he told me ever since Seba became quartermaster they started calling him Sir. Seba walked over to the door and placed his hand on it; the door hummed and flew open, everyone who saw gasped only a prince had the ability to open the door. "I was granted the privilege of being able to open the doors but only in emergencies." He answered quickly then moved so the guards could enter first. "Darren I need you to go and get Mr. Crepsley." Seba smiled and again I ran off to the record room.

I ran down the hall and ran into the room. "Mr. Crepsley you need…" I couldn't talk, the room was dark but I knew I wasn't alone and I knew Mr. Crepsley wasn't here. "Darren you've gotten bigger." My insides froze, I knew that voice.

"I knew half breed's aged quicker then full blooded filthy vampires but I didn't expect you to change so much. I almost didn't recognise you, but when you shouted his name I could tell."

"Where is Mr. Crepsley?" I asked not really interested in the conversation.

"Now this is embarrassing but I was actually waiting for him to come here, then you showed up."

"How did you even get in here?" I asked getting ready for a fight.

"I had some… inside information." I could hear the intruder moving around sliding from one side of the room to the other. "Now if you don't mind I have a vampire to kill."

"If you think I will let you leave this room alive you have another thing coming… Evra."


	34. Losing Loved Ones

**Chapter 34 – (Losing a loved one.) **

"Well I thought after all these years you would have forgotten about little old me." Evra moved into the candle light and I only knew it was him because of his scaled body he had changed so much, he look mad and dirty, his once green scales now looked brown and grey.

"I suggest you get out of this mountain and forgot you ever came across it." I felt no remorse in threatening my once best friend, I was a vampire now and I had to do everything to protect the clan.

"You really think I would believe you, you're not going to lay a hand on me, you were soft before and I bet you're still soft now." He laughed for a while but stopped when he saw me slyly smiling.

"It has been years since we last met, I would not underestimate me Evra, I could kill you, and I will if you do not leave right now." I took a fighting stance I would back up my words if I had to. Evra eyed me and huffed, "You use to be more fun, these stuffy bats have gotten to you. Oh well, I only came to kill Creepy Crepsley and to give you a message." He took a few steps closer and held out both his hands in surrender with a daring smile plastered across his face.

"What are you doing?" I asked knowing he wasn't going to go through the trouble of getting here to just give himself in.

"I will relay my message but only to EVERYONE in this dusty mountain." He smiled at me but I wasn't a fool like Evra thought.

"Do not take me for an imbecile." I protested and Evra just laughed.

"Oh come on me, Steve and Debbie have all been taking bets to see if you would take me in or not. I just lost 3 humans 'cause of you." He laughed.

"I do not care what you do in your free time, I will not warn you again leave or I will kill you where you stand." I had lost all forms of emotion in all honesty I wanted him to hit me so I could tear him apart, for the past few years I had been relishing a good fight one where anything could go, it scared me, if we had of met a few years ago I would probably be crying begging him to tell me why he was doing this, but this isn't the past and I wasn't the same soft boy I was.

"You've really become a heartless bastard Darren. Don't you even remember Debbie, you know your old girlfriend, and you left at Christmas and broke her heart?" He asked seemingly genuinely shocked at how cold I was being.

"I remember her; I would just like to know why you think I would have any form of reaction. I am a vampire and she is a human." Even I couldn't believe how heartless I sounded.

"Well to correct you, she WAS human she is one of us now." Evra smiled hoping to get some spark of shock and horror out of me but I wasn't interested.

"Then that just gives me even less reason to care." I smiled an unholy smiley and I could see it made Evra shiver and feel uneasy. A shock of regret came across his face he had planned on me still being soft and over caring but he had now started to realise how wrong he was.

"What the hell has this place done to ya. You're acting like a vampaneze." He said eyeing up the door I was blocking hoping he could make a quick escape if he needed to.

"Do not insult me I am a vampire. I would never want anything to do with your kind." I spat. Yes I knew I was being heartless and most likely acting more like a vampaneze then a vampire of good standing, but I would never admit it to myself or anyone. I had no control over what I was doing; it was like being in the halls of princes standing up to Mr. Tiny all over again but this time I would remember everything.

I could feel the tension in the room reaching boiling point, either Evra was going to strike or I was; it was just a matter of who would first. I still stayed in my fighting stance, I knew he had probably been training to but I had the advantage of he didn't know any of Mr. Crepsley's moves; he wouldn't know how to block them or break my defence at this moment in time I was unstoppable.

Back in the hall of princes Seba looked around for any sign of the princes. "Sir we have them!" a guard shouted from behind the podium the Princes thrones sat proudly. Arrow was lying on the floor passed out but with no injuries as Seba could see but Paris was a different matter. His beaten and bloody body was propped up against the wall; Seba felt the blood rush out of his face as he ran to the aid of his friend.

"Sire… SIRE!" Seba yelled as he checked for the slightest sign of a pulse.

"Seba?" Paris asked in an almost whisper.

"Yes my old friend I am here. Who did this to you?"

"Where is Larten?" Paris asked looking around the room in a frantic way trying to find him.

"He is not here, I sent Darren to find him but they have not arrived yet." Seba said looking over to the door hoping they were just about to enter.

"He is not in the record room. He asked me about older records and I gave him access to my private room where are most truced records are hidden away. Please it is important, bring him to me." Paris coughed and blood soaked his chin. Seba barked for a guard to fetch Mr. Crepsley from Paris's quarters and turned his attention back to his friend.

"Sire please, tell me who did this to you?" Seba begged again fighting back the tears which threatened to spill.

"I have very little time left my friend I must talk to Larten." Paris looked at Seba and smiled showing his blood stained teeth. "My friend we are about to enter dangerous times, you need to be extra virulent." Seba wanted to scream for medical assistance but he knew Paris would not benefit from it, he was to damaged and too old to come back from this. Instead he just held his friends hand and waited in silence for Mr. Crepsley.

The hall was in silence when Mr. Crepsley finally arrived, he flitted from Paris's room to the halls and was almost bowled over by the sight, Arrow was sitting on his throne being fussed over by medical staff, he looked around the room and noticed Seba's red cloak, he rushed over hoping his old master was alright but his insides froze when he saw Paris bloody on the floor.

"Seba, Sire what happened?" Mr. Crepsley gasped as he ran over to the pair, "Why have none of the medics come to your aid?" Mr. Crepsley was about to run and get ones attention but he was stopped by Seba. "Larten it was Paris's chose so please respect it." Mr. Crepsley didn't argue he just knelt on the floor next to Seba and Paris. Paris grabbed Larten by the collar and pulled him in close.

"Larten you need to listen to me, very dangerous times are ahead, we are going to have to stand up to an ancient enemy and the clan will need a strong leader to help them through this fight." Paris started coughing uncontrollably spraying Mr. Crepsley and Paris in specks of blood.

"Sire I will find this leader, give me his name and I will find him." Mr. Crepsley swore. Paris just smiled and tapped Mr. Crepsley's hand.

"I have already found him, he just doesn't know it." Paris said still smiling.

"Then where is he I shall bring him to you." Mr. Crepsley could tell Paris's life was coming to an end and he didn't want him to die without seeing this most trusted vampire.

"It is you my friend, I need you to take my place on my throne and lead our people to true freedom." Paris only laughed at the faces of Seba and Mr. Crepsley.

"Sire you must be mistaken I cannot lead our people." Mr. Crepsley started to protest bust was silenced by Paris's hand.

"Arrow and I have already spoken about this and we have both agreed you have no chose and I am sorry for that, but we must do what is best for the clan, and right now the clan needs you." Paris raised his wrist to Mr. Crepsley and cut along it with his sharp nail. "Now drink while there is still blood left in my veins, you will need my memories to help you. Now be quick." Paris ordered and thrust his cut wrist closer to Mr. Crepsley's mouth. He hesitated a while and looked at Seba for guidance, but he could only nod, he knew Paris would not do this unless he was 100% sure it was completely necessary. As his lips sealed over Paris's wound he felt as Seba left to tell the others in the mountain the news. A single tear trickled down his cheek he looked at Paris as he drained the life out of him. Paris smiled "You will be great." As he closed his eyes to rest for eternity in Paradise.

As the books hit the floor I attacked, I had seen Evra eyeing up a pile of books close to his left hand and had a feeling he would try and use them as a distraction but I wasn't so easily fooled. As Evra made a mad dash for the door to try and escape he was stopped in his tracks by my fist imbedding itself into his stomach. Evra chocked up a mouthful of blood and flung a desperate right hook to my jaw, as it connected I used the opportunity to grab his shoulder and imbed my knee into his stomach I saw the look of pure fear and pain in Evra's eyes but I wasn't finished, before his lifeless body could hit the ground I grabbed a fistful of his hair and started pounding his face with my free fist.

I was ruthless only stopping to flex my fingers, even after Evra had passed out I continued until I felt his bones break, I even broke 3 fingers but I ignored the pain. I stopped after it felt like I was just punching jelly, I let go of his hair and watched as he fell to the floor. I looked down at my hand and a sudden realisation hit me like a ton of bricks falling down on my head. I back up to the wall trying to get away from the horror of what I had just done.

"My boy you make me so proud." I looked up quickly to see who had just spoken and standing in the door way was the green welly wearing Mr. Tiny. "I knew you were one to keep my eye on, it was becoming a bit boring so I got Steve to send this fool to the mountain."

"You are working with Steve?" I asked in complete shock and horror.

"Oh havens no. Steve works for me. He thinks I'm going to give him immortality, such a fool." Mr. Tine said as he picked his teeth with what looked like a small bone then he turned his gaze to me. "But you my boy are no fool; you have just proven how much of a monster you truly are." Mr. Tiny started laughing and this time I couldn't stand up to him, I had spent all my aggression out on Evra and I was spent. "So do you still think you can deny destiny, you will be mine boy, this show just proved how close you are to falling into my plan." Still I couldn't say anything; I wasn't really paying attention I was too busy looking at the broken body of Evra and my bloodied hands. I never even noticed when Mr. Tiny left.

I slid down the wall trying to stop my mind from going into overload, was Mr. Tiny right was I really just going to give myself over to him. No, no way, I would never I had so much going for me here, my family was here and I was never going to leave them like I had to with my human family. I picked myself up and dusted myself off and walked over to Evra, I checked for any signs of life and noticed he was still breathing so I flung him over my shoulder and headed off to find some help.

The hall was full of shouts and cries. "CALM DOWN ALL OF YOU! We are vampires not children! Yes we have all lost an integral part of our clan but he didn't leave us completely." Arrow walked around the hall silencing everyone with his words. "He left us with a new leader, a new prince to help us through these times of hardship." Arrow walked over to Mr. Crepsley and raised his hand in his. "All hale Larten Crepsley the new Prince." The room filled with the shouts haling the new prince, Mr. Crepsley didn't show it but he hated every minute of it, he didn't ask nor want this but he had no chose. He looked around the room hoping to spot Seba but he was still tending to Paris's body.

I locked Evra in our 'prison' cell and headed off to find someone to take to about what to do next; I was lost in thought when a burly vampire slapped me on the back. "Why ay you up in the hall of princes celebrating?" He smiled at me obviously he had been drinking like a camel.

"Pardon? What is there to celebrate?" I ask curious as to what I had missed.

"By the God's you don't know! I would get your ass up to the hall pronto." I thanked him for the surjection and ran off as fast as I could. When I entered the hall I couldn't see a thing, everyone in the mountain must have crammed themselves in, I tried to ask a few others what was going on but I was only pushed aside and ignored. I managed to worm my way around the edge of the hall and find an opening so I could see and hear what was going on.

"The ceremony shall be held as soon as possible, go and tell everyone who may not of heard. Our new Prince shall become legend." Arrow boomed to the crowd, "New prince. What new prince, I did not think it was time for a new one?" I thought to myself trying to get a better look at what was going on when I felt hands grab me around the waist and lift me above the crowd. "HAY LOOK I FOUND HIM!" The guy yelled as I tried to fight free of his grasp, I was passed over the top of the crowd from vampire to vampire (like crowd surfing) until I was dropped in the central platform where I saw for the first time our new prince. We made eye contact and I felt giddy I wanted to run over to him and ask what was going on but the vampires closest to me started slapping me on the back and started pulling at my top trying to get my attention ripping it in multiple places. I saw as Mr. Crepsley tried to come and help be but Arrow grabbed him and dragged him in the other direction. We never broke eye contact until he was dragged into a room only princes where allowed to go in.

"Let the boy be!" Seba shouted as he grabbed my arm and pulled my free of the mob. When I was free my hair was a mess, my cloths where in ruins and I had lost a shoe in the commotion. "Are you alright?" Seba asked dusting me off. I didn't say anything I just looked at the door Mr. Crepsley had been taken behind and out of site.

I sat down with Seba as he told me the full tale, I was in uproar when I found out about Paris I was so angry with myself for not being here, but Seba reassured me there was nothing I could of done. "So who did this?" I asked wiping away a few tears from my cheek.

"We are not sure; Paris's dying wish was to talk to Larten and did not tell me anything else." Seba said following my gaze to the door worried about Mr. Crepsley like I was.

"What about Arrow does he not know?" I asked puzzled.

"He said he would only talk about it when Larten has been 'crowned' not before." We shared a worried look. We stayed in the hall for a few more hours hoping Mr. Crepsley would immerge from behind the door and would come and talk to us but we gave up hope after almost 4 hours of waiting. We stood up to leave when it hit me. "We had an intruder in the record room." I bluntly announced.

"What… and you only bring this up now. Darren that could have been Paris's killer." Seba looked very disappointed and was ready to give me an ear full but I stepped in and told him the whole story even the part about me senselessly beating Evra and about Mr. Tiny appearing and what he had said. Once I had finished my story Seba just sat in silence. "Where is this Evra now?" He asked expecting the answer to be the morgue.

"I locked him up, do not worry he is still alive." I didn't need to look at Seba to see the relief lift from his shoulders. We walked down to the cells in silence we had to avoid large crowds and we didn't want to draw any attention to ourselves though that is very hard to achieve when we were dressed all in red and stood out quite a lot. Along the way we picked up Zak who had heard the rumours and almost died when we filled him in on the whole story.

"Waw. So an old mate try's to kill Daz and Mr. Crepsley became a prince." We knew he didn't want to mention Paris at all, when we told him we saw the tears instantly come to his eyes. "Well at least you managed to beat this guy to a pulp he will think twice before ever coming here again." Zak said seriously I knew how protective over the mountain he was, he told me before about how he saw this place as his home after never having a real one when he was a human.

There were screams of pain as we reached the door; I wasn't surprised I probably broke every bone in his face. I reached out for the door handle but Zak stopped me. "You should get your hand seen to the last thing you need is the bones setting in strange angles." He tried to sound normal but I knew he didn't want me going in the room. I was about to protest but Seba took sides with Zak and I was sent away.

I managed to find a medic who wasn't going to ask me 101 questions, He was a skinny guy and new to the clan so he kept himself to himself, I always tried to stop and have a quick chat with him when I had the chance. He patched my hand up in no time and swore he would say he never saw me. I thanked him and headed off to my room. I tried to get some sleep but it just didn't feel right knowing Mr. Crepsley wasn't just in the next room. I sighed to myself and remembered back through my life at all the adventures we had; had over the many years together. I looked down at my tattered shirt and noticed my pink scars showing through, I laughed at myself as I threw my tattered shirt in the corner and left to find a new one.

I opened the door and hoped Mr. Crepsley was going to be in his normal seat next to the fire lost in his own memory's but he wasn't, the fire wasn't even lit. I looked down at the floor sadly and closed the door behind me; I walked over and started up a little fire to warm the room up for when Mr. Crepsley came back. I walked over to his wardrobe and retched one of his older and smaller shirts. He saved them for me as they were pretty hard to come by. I put it on and sat down in his chair and watched the fire, I was hoping to stay awake long enough to see Mr. Crepsley when he got back but sleep soon took hold.


	35. Call A Medic

**Chapter 35 (Call A Medic.)**

I woke up the next night and stretched; I threw more wood on the fire and looked over to Mr. Crepsley's coffin. It looked untouched and I knew he hadn't come back at all while I was sleeping. I just wanted to sit and wait until he returned but I knew it was pointless so I decided to leave the fire burning to keep the room warm and left to grab some breakfast.

As I entered the mess hall all eyes turned and focused on me it made me feel uneasy, like everyone was going to start pulling at me again like I was just a toy. I slowly walked pasted the crowds and headed over to Zak and Seba who were sitting at our usual table. "Greetings, I see you managed to get here with your cloths intact this time." Zak joked as I sat down and swiped a loaf of his bread.

"Yes but I do not like how everyone is watching me." I said trying to ignore all the eyes as I trying to eat.

"It is because of Larten." Seba said not looking up from his cup.

"Ye but Daz isn't the one becoming a prince." Zak said before I had the chance.

"That may be true however Larten's blood runs through Darren's veins. Larten will be the first Prince to ever have been chosen by a dying prince, plus Larten still have an assistant who is still heavily dependent on him and will still need to blood Darren when the time comes." Seba said still staring into his cup as though it had the answers hidden away in its content.

"Does that really matter? I did not think that would make such a big difference to who becomes a Prince or not and besides your blood runs through Mr. Crepsley and myself, why are they not harassing you?" I chipped in.

"It is difficult to explain, just know it is because Larten made you and when the time comes to fully blood you; you will have the blood of other princes running through your veins." Seba went quiet after that and wouldn't involve himself in the conversation any further. "So have you had the chance to see him yet?" Zak asked to break the silence.

I shuck my head. "I waited for him to come back to his room but he never did."

Zak looked down at his plate not really knowing what to say to cheer me up, when all of a sudden a light bulb come on in his head. "Well maybe we should take him some dried meat and a cup of blood if he has been cooped up in that hall all night he is going to need something right." I looked up with a smile on my face Zak had a very good point but Seba shot the idea down, "He will be well fed while he is up in the Hall, you will only be turned away."

"But why? I'm his assistant I should be assisting him right now not shut out." I protested it was really getting to me knowing he was in the mountain but I was being blocked from seeing him but Seba just told me it was the way of things and left to attend to some duties. Zak soon followed to start work on some new gaming halls, "You can come and help if you got nothing else to do." He offered.

"Thanks I may drop in later if I become that desperate." I smiled as we waved our good byes.

I sat at the table a while longer just watching the world go by, after about an hour I'd had enough. I grabbed a mug of blood and a plate full of dried meat and headed off to the hall of prince's. As I approached the door I noticed the guards had doubled since the night before. "Holt, no one is allowed in the hall at this time." A guard bellowed walking in my way.

"I need to take this to Mr. Crepsley." I said trying to side step him only to be blocked by another guard.

"That's Sir Larten or Prince Larten. Not even his assistant can get away with forgetting his title." The guard scolded me.

"Fine" I huffed "I need to take this to Sir Crepsley." I eyed up the guard hoping he would just shut up and just let me past.

"I'm sorry but no one can see the new prince at this time, you will have to wait for the ceremony to be over."

"Are you serious, just tell him Darren is out here and he will let me in." I protested but the guard was having none of it and sent me on my way. As I walked away I cursed and moaned but knew there was nothing I could do and for the moment I would just have to live with it. I was making my way to the games hall to see if Zak had anything for me to do when I got side tracked. It dawned on me that I hadn't been outside in almost 5 years.

I made the long trek outside and sat myself down on the tallest peak of the mountain I could find, I watched as the stars filled the sky and I couldn't help but think about why I was being kept way from Mr. Crepsley. I wasn't outside long when I heard someone walking up the mountain towards me, my heart skipped had Mr. Crepsley managed to escape the hall and come to fine me. "Duncan?" I asked puzzles as the giant walked around the corner and into my line of sight. I must of scared him as he picked up a rock and readied himself to bash my head in but soon dropped it when he realised it was me.

"My lord Darren you've gotten big." He laughed and slapped me on the back which still hurt as much as I remember it did and started poking my newly formed muscles. "It's good to see you, but what you doing out here?" I gave him the abridge version of the past few years up the here and now. "I'm sorry to hear about Paris, Queen Eve will be very sad to hear that, but well done to Larten for going for the job." He smiled but he could tell I still wasn't happy.

"He did not go for the job; it was Paris's dying wish to have Mr. Crepsley take his place." I explained and a sympathetic smile was all Duncan could manage and just placed his giant hand on my shoulder. We sat in silence for a while just watching the stars till the chill got too much and we decided to head inside as neither of us had coats. We had to travel half way down the mountain to find an entrance big enough for Duncan to fit in. "last time I was here there was a nice big hole at the top I could fit through." He moaned as he hit his head for the 5th time.

"We have been doing a lot of remodelling since you have been gone and a lot of the old tunnels have been blocked off and sealed, we do not normally get guest quick as manly as yourself." I laughed. Once we were safely inside and Duncan could straighten up we headed off to find Zak and Seba in the new area for the games hall. Duncan didn't recognise Zak at first and Zak had to tell the tale of how Duncan got him to carry his 3 bags when they first met to convince him of who he was. We laughed for a while at the memory and then got down to business.

"I had to come ahead of everyone, one of the Queens councillors broke his leg so I was sent to tell you they will be a few days late a week at the most." Duncan noticed the worried look on my face and made a mental note to ask me about it later.

"It will be an honour to have you stay with us again, I shall get our best rooms prepared, and if they make it in time they will be here to witness Larten's crowning." Seba said trying to sound existed.

"Ye Darren told me Larten had gotten a promotion. He is a good Vampire I'm sure he will do a brilliant job at it." Duncan smiled and hoped to chance the subject by asking Zak to wrestle with him. Duncan obviously won but it was a close match. We spent the rest of the day help laying down the new floor for the new game's hall and decided to get an early night. I walked with Zak and Duncan to our rooms and bid them both a good sleep. I, like the night before went to Mr. Crepsley's room and lit a fire and again fell asleep in his chair.

"Darren." I heard someone whispering to me. At first I thought it was Zak so I pushed him away and turned over to sleep again, but then I felt a sharp poke in my ribs. I turned back over to give Zak the beat down of his life when I saw an extremely tied looking Mr. Crepsley kneeling in front of the chair not looking to impressed I turned my back on him. Before I could apologise I threw my arms around him and hugged him tightly I may look 20-21 but I still on occasions acted like I was 15 again. He held me close and we stayed that way just hugging.

"I tried to get in to see you but the guards turned me away." I told him as I got up so he could sit down.

"Yes I know I went mad but I was told a newly announced prince has to be kept away from everyone for 2 nights so he does not get torn apart by questions." He placed a hand on my cheek and checked to make sure I was alright. "Last time I saw you; you were getting pulled around by that group, I am sorry I did not help you." He looked down at the floor like he always did if he thought I was going to hate him or reject him.

"I saw Arrow drag you away, I know you would have helped if you could, Seba saved me in the end." We laughed; it sounded great being saved by a 400+ year old vampire. We stayed up a while and talked, I told him about Duncan and he told me about the files in Paris's room. "I have found the picture you were looking for; Paris had it hidden in his room the moment I first stepped foot in the mountain as to not cause any speculations."

"We should have asked him first then; we could have saved ourselves quite a lot of time." I said half joking as I handed him a glass of blood.

"He told me he was waiting for the right time, and then when I brought you here for the first time, he was just going to wait until you were fully blooded before bringing this to our attention. We just found the cup first and set everything in motion." Mr. Crepsley looked over to the fire deeply saddened by the loss of Paris. "He asked me to drink from him, to take apart of his soul so he could pass on his knowledge. It was not a pleasant experience." He confessed to me.

"I thought it would have been the same as when I drained Sam and took a part of his soul with me? Yes I felt horrible at the time but I know now it was the right thing to do." I tried to comfort him but I could tell this was beyond me.

"The act was the same but that is where the similarities end. Paris had taken in the souls of 3 people before his time came to an end; I am having to fight to separate all of their memories with my own. It is easy when you take them in one at a time but I had to take them all at once, it is hard to adapt." He half smiled at me trying to reassure me he was aright but I could feel the struggle inside of him and I was powerless to help.

"I can understand why it was hard, and why it was so different to my experience I wish there was something I could do to help." I said as I placed my hand on his and patted it gently silently telling him I was here if he ever needed me. He smiled his thanks and yawned, I knew he needed sleep so I told him I would stay outside of his door and make sure he was not disturbed, he laughed sleepily, "Your my son not my guard dog." and fell straight to sleep before I could say anything.

"Why are you sitting out here?" Zak asked puzzled as he walked passed when night fell.

"Mr. Crepsley came back around the middle of the day and was extremely tied so I am sitting out here as to stop anyone disturbing him." I said as I stretched the stiffness out of my back.

"Well I'm glad his back, maybe now Seba will stop stealing strips of my dried meat." He huffed but I knew he really didn't mind, he always over filled his plate anyway and I knew he felt a strong bond between Seba and himself.

"I do not understand why you like that stuff it just tastes like salt to me." I laughed as he took a seat next to me on the floor keeping me company for a while.

"So what you gonna do when Emma gets here?" Zak asked randomly breaking the peaceful silence.

"I do not know. I am going to have to tell her. I cannot just run away from this." I said trying to sound like it didn't bother me as much as it truly was.

"The best thing you could ask for is she found someone else." Zak tied to make it sound funny but I just glared at him though I knew he had a point. "Well I'll go and grab us some food, we might be out here a while." Zak huffed as he stood and tapped the top of my head "Stay boy." He said like I was a dog and ran off.

I didn't manage to get much time to myself; a few moments after Zak ran off Duncan appeared looking slightly annoyed and confused. "Did you sleep well?" I smiled but I felt very uneasy around him now.

"What is going on?" Duncan asked harshly.

"Well Mr. Crepsley came back and…" was all I managed to say before he cut me off.

"I meant between you and Emma? What is it you need to tell her?" I could tell he was getting angry and it scared me.

"Look it is complicated can we talk about this later please; I promise I will tell you everything." I tried to plead with him but he was having none of it?

"Darren you tell me right now or god help you I will beat it out of you!" Duncan's face went red and I knew he wasn't joking but before I had time to explain Mr. Crepsley's door flew open. "Duncan please, calm yourself." Mr. Crepsley said calmly as he buttoned up his cloak shutting the door behind him.

"I heard him saying to Zak he needed to tell Emma something and I need to know what that is. You would do the same if it was in reverse." Duncan sounded like he really needed to know or he would break so we told him the tale. "So you're telling me you promised to some fool of a man you wouldn't be with Emma anymore and you're going through with it?" Duncan asked puzzled, they obviously didn't know who Mr. Tiny was.

"If I had promised it to Mr. Tiny alone I would gladly break it but I made the promise to the Gods Duncan, and that is a promise I cannot break." I looked to Mr. Crepsley for support and he smiled reassuring me it was alright.

"But I still don't understand why make that kind of a promise? What can this guy possibly do which is so bad." I opened my mouth to tell him all the horrible things Mr. Tiny has done but I was cut short.

"I'm glad I stopped giving any form of interest in your worthless group. Nothing existing comes from a bunch of pacifists who live underground to avoid the human world." We all turned around to see Mr. Tiny standing not 3 feet from us.

"And who the hell are you?" Duncan asked obviously offended but what Mr. Tiny had said about his kind.

"I am Mr. Desmond Tiny, and you are Duncan from the bat clan." Mr. Tiny smiled at the shock on Duncan's face.

"And what do you know about me or my clan?" He asked trying to bury his slight fear of this man.

"I know you are originally from Scotland, you use to have a row of gold medals for log tossing. You also became a heavy drinker after your wife and little children all got roasted in that house fire. I bet you can still hear the sound of them screaming for daddy to save them." Mr. Tiny burst out laughing there was nothing he loved more than breaking men, ripping at their memories till there is nothing left. Duncan fell to his knees holding his hands over his ears as he relived the memory of that night over 500 years ago.

"STOP!" I shouted ready to take on Mr. Tiny myself. I couldn't just stand by and watch as a friend was being mentally tormented.

"Darren I have changed my mind, I want you to mate with this Emma, It will make it even more satisfying when you rip her throat out." He went to laugh again but he was silenced by my fist connecting with his round chubby face, I never even knew I had moved. The whole mountain shuck and a crowd had gathered to see what all the commotion was about. Everyone gasped at what they saw. "DARREN!" I heard Mr. Crepsley scream.

I looked at Mr. Tiny's face and noticed he cheek had been completely split open from the corner of his mouth to his ear had been sliced through like it was butter (Imagine the Jokers scars from Batman). I much of attacked with my nails first and then punched him. I looked to my left to see why Mr. Crepsley had shouted me when I noticed a sword sticking right through my left shoulder, My right arm was lip and lifeless to my side.

I looked over at Mr. Tiny who was just smiling which looked even scarier now he had his wound making his smile twice as big as it used to be. "I must admit Darren, No one has ever been able to hit me let alone cut me open. You may be more of a challenge to break then I first expected." He pulled his sword out of my shoulder and walked away laughing.

I fell to my knees when the sword was free all I could feel was the pain and feared I would lose my arm. Mr. Crepsley rushed to my side ripping my shirt so he could see the wound. "How bad is it?" I asked between clenched teeth. I could tell by his face it didn't look good but I wanted him to tell me.

"It does not look good but we will do what we can." Ripped my shirt sleeve off and tied it around my shoulder I gripped my teeth against the pain. I felt another person come and helped Mr. Crepsley pick me up it was James the Army medic who patched my hand up a few nights ago.

"I've patched up worse but it will not be quick or easy." He said as he checked my wound.

"Will you be able to save his arm?" Mr. Crepsley asked

"I will be able to give you a definite answer when we get to the med hall and I can have a proper look, but the fact you haven't bled to death yet is a good sign." He smiled and led the way to the med hall shouting at people to move if anyone was unfortunate enough to get in his way. He was the best medic we had ever had in the mountain as he was the only truly trained one. He had been in many wars and could patch you up with almost anything so I was confident he would do his best to save my arm.

As we walked into the room I was shocked at how bright it was there were millions of candles and it made the room blinding even Mr. Crepsley took a while to adjust to it. "Sorry about the light but I can't do my job in the dark and as I can't have any electrical lights I have to do with candles." He half laughed dropping a mighty big box next to my bed. He asked everyone to leave bar Mr. Crepsley and got straight onto work.

He removed my make shift bandage and cleaned up the wound with water, It stung like hell but I just knuckled down and endured it. "I have to say I've seen hardened soldiers cry like babies at the slightest cut and you are just lying there talking it." He said smiling. "Now I have to clean this out and check to see if any nerves are damaged, I'm not gonna lie it will hurt more than hell." He put a metal rod in my mouth and told me to bite down, being a vampire I would just be able to bite through a belt or a wooden stick but metal I couldn't. I was scared and grabbed onto Mr. Crepsley's hand for dear life. "ZAK!" James shouted and waited for him to appear. "Hold down Darren's legs." When everyone was ready he smiled at me and started.

I had never felt so much pain in my life, as his fingers felt around the inside of my wound I felt sick, cold and agonising pain. I bit down as hard as I could and tried not to scream but I couldn't stop it. Being dropped into the spike pit in the hall of death couldn't be this painful. It felt like I was lying on the table for an eternity and I just wanted it all to end. Just when I felt I was going to pass out the pain stopped and I could hear Mr. Crepsley talking to me, "It is over, you did well." He smiled.

"The good news is he did cut a nerve but I was able to reattach it, it may take a while for you to get complete use of your arm back but give it a month and you will be back to normal." We all smiled in relief as James stitched me back up and put my arm in a sling. "There you go, now I'm gonna have to ask you to see me every day for the next 2 weeks, just to make sure the healing proses is going well." He helped me up off the table and slapped my back.

"Zak you look like your about to throw up." I laughed at Zak's paler then normal face.

"Dude… That was gross. Seriously James I don't know how you do it." Zak confessed holding his hand over his mouth. James just handed him a bucket and laughed. I thanked James and headed out the door to be greeted with cheers and people congratulating me on serving.

"Thank you." Mr Crepsley said when it was just him and James left in the room.

"No need to thank me, I was just doing my job." James smiled as he cleaned the blood off the table and started wiping down his tools.

"That may be but you saved his arm; none of the other medical staff could have done it." Mr. Crepsley said truly grateful.

"I have covered wars and seen my fair share of blood and gore, fixing an arm is child's play compared to removing an axe from someone's brain, but thank you it is nice to see my work appreciated." He smiled happily to himself and just continued cleaning as Mr. Crepsley left.


	36. Royal Rooms

**Chapter 36 – (Royal Rooms)**

"Well I have to say it looks like you are going to make a 100% recovery quicker then I expected." James said pocking my finger with a pin and watching me flinch, "Yep you are healing up nicely, and looks like there will be no nerve damage. How do you feel?"

"I feel fine; it is just when I sleep I tend to roll over onto it which hurts like hell." I confessed as I put my shirt back on with the help of Mr. Crepsley.

"Well all I can suggest is if you roll up an extra blanket and put that behind your injured shoulder it should stop you from rolling over, hold on I might have a spare somewhere." He opened up an old cupboard and pulled out a blanket and handed it to me. "And if that doesn't work you may have to sleep in a chair till you are completely healed."

"Thanks Doc." I smiled. "Same time tomorrow?" I asked getting off the table and straightening my shirt out the best I could one handed.

"I have 3 surgeries tomorrow so if I get a free moment I will come and find you, but if you don't see me just come the day after at the normal time, I'm sure your arm won't fall off in a day." We all smiled and said our goodbyes.

"I am glad we have James in the mountain I haven't had to worry about infections or anything." I said as Mr. Crepsley and I made our way back to the new games hall to see how Seba and Zak were doing.

"Yes it is somewhat of a relief to have a capable person on the job." Mr. Crepsley agreed and smiled at me.

"I do not see why he is not the head of the Medical staff, from what I have heard he is the only one who has been properly trained at all." I said puzzled.

"I did not know there was a ranking within the Medical staff." Mr. Crepsley confessed as we continued walking.

"James was explaining it to me a few nights ago; he will not personally mention it to you because he does not what people to think he is trying to get you to back him."

"Then why are you telling me all of this?" Mr. Crepsley asked eyeing me confused.

"Because I think he should be running it. You said it yourself that it is a relief to know we have a capable body on the job. The vampire running it now cannot even look at blood without throwing up. If James led the staff he could train them and make sure everyone is up to par… It would be beneficial to the clan." I hinted.

"So are you saying I should use my newly obtained position to get James to run the Medical staff once I have been blooded?" he asked again eyeing me oddly.

"Of course not, I am only pointing out my own personally observation." I laughed and he put his hand on my shoulder. "Maybe Paris should of left the job to you." he laughed and we continued on to the new games hall.

"Hay Daz how's the arm?" Zak asked while he hacked away at a wall with a pickaxe.

"I should make a full recovery and have full use of my arm." I smiled

"That is brilliant news, I am glad to hear it." Seba said as he looked away from his blueprints to smile at me then looked over to Zak "Zak may I borrow you for a moment." Seba asked, Zak put his pickaxe on his shoulder and walked over to look at the blueprints as well. They started rambling on about wall heights and where what games would go where. I was about to ask Mr. Crepsley about where Seba learnt to make such elaborate building plans but a royal guild burst through the door.

"Sire." He knelt down in front of Mr. Crepsley who just huffed in a disapproving way. He hadn't even been blooded as a prince yet and still all the guilds in the mountain bowed to him and called him Sire.

"Yes what is it?" He asked not really in the mood to talk to the guild.

"Sire, Arrow has asked for you and Seba to accompany him in the hall of princes." The guild bowed once more and left.

"Well it must be important 'sire' If Arrow has asked for the both of us." Seba laughed at the scowl he received from Mr. Crepsley and patted Zak and me on the backs and left followed closely by a muttering Mr. Crepsley.

Jack and I both signed we use to be able to go with them but the past few times we had been banned and we both felt it was totally unfair. We were both about to moan about it to each other when Mr. Crepsley popped his head around the door. "Are you two not coming?" He asked with a smile on his face. It was all we needed to hear and went running after the two older vampires.

On the way up to the hall we all spent most of the time straightening ourselves out and making ourselves look presentable. Zak had to ran off to his room to change his top and managed to catch up to us just before we reached the halls, before we entered I handed Zak my handkerchief and pointed to his face, he quickly wiped the dirt off and stuffed the now dirty handkerchief in his pocket smiling his thanks.

"I am glad you could all make it." Arrow boomed from across the other side of the hall.

We all bowed and arrow laughed. "Larten you are a prince you don't need to bow." Arrow placed his hand on Mr. Crepsley's shoulder and made him stand.

"Sire I have not yet been blooded as a prince so I shall continue to bow until such time as I have." Mr. Crepsley protested.

"The moment Paris died and told us you where to take his place you became a prince besides you drained Paris, so technically you already have been blooded." Arrow turned and sat down on his thrown and tapped the arm of Paris's old thrown indicating Mr. Crepsley to sit down. "Sire I would rather…" He was silenced by a wave of Arrows hand.

"Paris asked you to take his place, which means in every way, you will have his thrown, his room, and his books, his everything. Paris knew what it meant to give you all of this and he will be happy for you to have it all." Arrow patted the arm of the thrown again.

"But I would not feel right sitting in his thrown so soon after his parting. Plus I have a room I have had that room since I first came to the mountain." Mr. Crepsley again protested.

"Your first priority is to the clan not to your personal feelings. Your stuff shall be moved to your new room before the crowning begins." Arrow sighed. "Those are the rules I'm sorry but you need to be up here by the halls you will eat and sleep up here for your own safety." Arrow looked at the floor he knew Mr. Crepsley didn't want to be locked away. Arrow had felt the same way when he was crowned but it had to be done.

"Well Darren and Zak will also have to be moved up here with me, I am teaching them and our studies will not be halted." You could hear it in Mr. Crepsley's voice; he didn't want to be left alone up here.

"About that… You will have to let one of them find a new mentor, you will not have the time or energy to watch and teach both of them. I am sorry Larten but there is nothing…" Arrow was cut off.

"No, I blooded Darren his is my assistant and I took Zak on after his mentor left him I shall not do the same." Mr. Crepsley was getting mad and so was I. It was taking every ounce of will power not to say something.

"We believe it would be better if someone else mentored Darren. We do not wish you split you up, we all know there is a bond between you that is very different to other vampires but once you are blooded you will not be allowed to fully blood Darren, you will have rule blood and we can't just give that away to anyone." Arrow said with a heavy heart.

I was about to take a stand and tell Arrow how this was really making me feel but Seba grabbed my arm and forced me back into my chair. "Sire, may I make a suggestion?" Seba piped in. Arrow agreed and Seba took the floor. "What if I took Zak as my assistant, he has been working very closely with me for the past number of years and he has become an invaluable part of my team, I would gladly become his mentor."

"Would you not be open to taking on Darren?" Arrow asked again sighing.

"I am sorry but no, he is Larten's assistant and I would not separate that, and I advise you to not separate them either." Seba was looked upon as an old and wise vampire so he could occasionally speak very bluntly but could get away with it.

"Why would you not separate them?" Arrow asked a little confused.

"As you said before they have a bond never seen before in our clan, I believe it is the will of the Gods they stay together and if Paris were here he would agree with me." When Seba spoke about it being the will of the Gods I felt a cold tingle run down my spine.

"I would have to agree, Paris did believe the Gods were working closely with Darren and I don't wish to upset the Gods. Darren shall be allowed to stay as Larten's assistant and right hand while he is a Prince." I let out a sigh of relief and thanked the Gods Seba had the influence and respect he did.

"However Seba do you think you have the time to teach the boy everything he needs to know and help run the mountain Seba?" Arrow asked honestly.

"It would make no difference; my work load would not change in fact having him as an assistant would be quite beneficial." Arrow could tell Seba was telling the truth and allowed it.

"Fine, you may tutor Zak Seba and Larten can continue to tutor Darren but you cannot blood him when the time comes, I can give no leeway of that matter." Arrow said strongly and unwillingly we agreed.

"Then it is settled Darren shall stay as Mr. Crepsley assistant and shall be moved up to the room next to his." He clicked his fingers and a handful of guilds headed out to collect our stuff.

"Thank you." Zak smiled to Seba and hugged him playfully, then turned his gaze to Mr. Crepsley, "And thank you for all you have done." Zak let go of Seba and tied to hug Mr. Crepsley playfully as well but I was put in the way and ended up with the hug. "Zak please, get off me." I said laughing as I tried to get him off, "No!" He protested continuing his hug, eventually he let go when he accidently hit my shoulder but we all just laughed.

"So you're gonna be living up here with the big wigs." Zak said smiling at me half sad but also happy.

"Do not worry we will come and see you, someone has to make sure you do not drive Seba mad." We all laughed and said our fare wells like we would every day, Seba and Zak had to get back to work and Mr. Crepsley and I had to be shown around.

"Before you are shown to your rooms I must speak with you in private." Arrow said leading us both into a hidden room within the walls of the hall. The Room was quite small there were 5 chairs placed around an open pit fire and a table in the corner of the room full of cups and blood. We sat down and accepted a drink from a guild who was sitting in a dark corner of the room. Arrow noticed my curious look.

"You will find guilds posted within every room and corridor while you are in the higher levels of the mountain apart from in your bedrooms, studies and private bathrooms." He said smiling at the horror on my face when he said every room, just the thought of a guild in the corner of my room watching me sleep creped me out. "Now before we get down to the real reason I brought you in here I need you Darren to swear to a blood oath." Arrow asked pulling out a small knife out of his pocket.

"Why do I need to swear a blood oath for?" I asked slightly scared at the way Arrow was holding the knife and smiling.

"Because you have chosen to stay with Larten you will not only be his assistant but you will be Larten's right hand man while he is a Prince or as such time you wish you leave to make your own way in life. You will see and hear things of a sensitive and extremely person nature in regards to the clan, you will hear about wars before they happen, see trials of mad or insane vampires which are not made public to protect reputations, hear secrets which have been such for 1000's of years and will need to be kept that way. You must swear that anything and everything you see or hear up in these halls and corridors will never again leave your lips as long as you live." I could feel the weight of responsibility but I knew I had Mr. Crepsley's full confidence so I accepted to the teams and swore my blood oath.

Arrow nicked my finger with the knife and dripped some of my blood onto the fire and smeared some on the wall. "All done, see it was harmless but it is not an easy agreement you have entered into and we have never had someone so young take the oath, but if I believed you couldn't handle it I would never have asked you to take it." He patted me on the back and Mr. Crepsley smiled proudly at me.

"Now that the boring stuff is out of the way we can get down to brass tax. Seba has told me about the prisoner we have chained up in the cells but I need to know who he is, how he found this pace and why he is here." Arrow leaned onto the back 2 legs of his chair and waited for us to speak.

Mr. Crepsley had first been told about the intruder by Zak after he finished questioning him with Seba but to no prevail. He got quite mad at me for not telling him that Evra had been there and that I had been in a fight with him. I told him I didn't want to worry him about it because of the hassle he was going through but there was no excuse to him. Eventually he forgave me but we never went down to see Evra locked up.

"His name is Evra; he was once half human half snake when he worked for the Cirque Du Freak but turned part Vampaneze…" And so we told the tale about how we met Evra how me and him use to be friends, how he turned to Steve and tried to kill David and take the silver coffin all those years ago not leaving out any little detail.

"So why is he here?" Arrow asked me knowing I was the one who had put him in a near comatose state.

"He said he came to kill Mr. Crepsley in the record room but I came along instead." I answered truthfully.

"Darren may I ask, why did you beat him so badly, I don't hold it against you if I had of found an intruder only the will of the Gods could of stopped me killing him but I still must ask." His voice softened and I thought back to that day.

"I just could not stop, I had so much rage towards him I just let go of my senses and only stopped when I realised one more punch would kill him." I looked down at the floor; I was partly ashamed at how wild I had got in the room and thought back to the message Mr. Tiny gave me about becoming a monster, still to this day no one knew he had saw what I had done and what he said to me and I would take it to my grave.

"Well I have to go and talk to him and I would like you to both accompany me." Arrow stood before we could protest, Mr. Crepsley didn't mind seeing him but he knew I didn't want to, but we had no say in the matter. I was nervous on the walk down to the cells; we walked down corridors I never even knew existed hidden behind the walls of all the halls. "These were built to keep the princes safe when they travelled to their destinations, I must ask that you never tell anyone about these." Arrow said sternly and we both agreed. "You are very privileged Darren not many vampires get to see these halls apart from princes and only a handful of the most trusted guilds get to use them. Oh while we are on the subjects of guilds, you will find a lot of the normal mountain guilds may teat you very differently. A lot of guilds wanted your job of being a Princes right hand. A lot of them feel a trained guild should have had the position, but don't let it bother you just remember you now outrank them all." Arrow laughed but I could only gulp.

When we reached the holding cells Arrow placed his hand on the wall and a door opened. Several guilds stood to attention and blocked the main entrance so no one else could enter.

"Sire we have been interrogating him nonstop for the past 2 weeks but he will not talk he only sings different versions of Mary had a little lamb." The guild said with a grim look on his face. Arrow just nodded and ordered the door to be opened.

The room was dark and smelt of tainted blood, sick and excrement and I held back my need to be sick. "Oh look more visitors." Evra said not looking up from the floor. He had been chained up against the wall arms and legs spread wide open even his neck was chained. It reminded me of the state I found Mr. Crepsley in when he had been Vamp-napped but I buried the memories deep and refused to remember them again.

"How did you know about this mountain?" Arrow asked in a surprisingly calm voice.

"Do you want to hear my song?" Evra asked he sounded drugged or drunk.

"How did you know about this mountain?" Arrow asked again this time more forcefully.

"Mary had some little lambs." Evra sang

"How did you know about this mountain?" Arrow asked again his voice getting more forceful.

"Their fleeces black as ash." Evra continued.

"HOW DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS MOUNTAIN?" Arrow screams punching the wall next to him.

"And every time the Mary stabbed the Lambs would bleat and scream." Evra smiled this time and looked up at us. "OHHH is that the spider-master and his little helper?" Evra asked in a clear daze.

"What are you doing here Evra?" Mr. Crepsley asked softly.

"I came to kill you, but he got in the way." He spat at me but it missed.

"Why do you want to kill me?" Mr. Crepsley asked still in a soft voice.

"It was my job, Steve and the tiny man didn't want you to have power, far too dangerous with power. I have to kill you so Darren will kill everyone and everyone will be dead. It is simple, get a vamp to kill other vamps." Evra looked around the room confused.

"Why will killing me make Darren go mad?"

"I was going to make a picture out of your organs and make it so Darren would find you. Full of anger he would kill with that picture buried in his head." Evra smiled at the thought.

"Well he isn't dead what will happen now?" Arrow asked but Evra only started singing again so Mr. Crepsley asked and Evra stopped.

"If you are put on the chair then Darren will do everything in his power to protect you. He has done it so many times in the past. The tiny man is getting tired of it, life after life he has tied to change Darren's heart but he can't he likes you too much to kill you, but this time, this life is different." Evra laughed

"What do you mean life after life?" Mr. Crepsley asked getting slightly worried.

"The tiny man said you have been together since the start of the vampire world and that this 'God bond' as the tiny man calls it holds you together in death and life, you are never apart for long and one of you will come back always a master needs his assistant."

"Do you mean Darren and I have been Mentor and Assistant before in other lives?" Mr. Crepsley asked a little shaken.

"Yep, the tiny man said this will be the 20th time and he doesn't like it, 19 times he has tried to turn Darren from you and wipe of the vamps and 19 times Darren has died for you or you for him protect these lot. He doesn't like it, he sent Red to get in the way and that failed, made you attack Darren and still failed, made you run away and still failed… But he has a plan to take him." Evra confessed with a smile.

"How will he try and take Darren?" Mr. Crepsley asked with a mixture of fear and anger in his voice.

"He will have a chose, kill Larten or kill Emma. One will die and he must chose but if he kills Emma the whole of that clan will full and burn!" Evra just started laughing and I again help back the need to be sick.

"How do you know all of this Evra?" Mr. Crepsley asked.

"The tiny man showed me, in 2 hours they will come and in 3 a chose will be made it has already been pencilled into the book of stuff going to happen." Evra smiled once again and passed out.

"I want you to find Duncan and tell him to meet me in the new games hall." I asked a guild and he ran off in search of him and I ran off to the new game hall.

"Darren what are you doing?" Mr. Crepsley asked as he ran after me but was blocked by a group of guilds.

"We are sorry Sire but if an attempt on your life has been made we have to protect you." The guild looked at Mr. Crepsley and he knew they weren't just going to move.

"Fine then come with me to the new game hall." He ordered but they didn't move.

"We should head back to the halls of princes it will be safe there." The guilds where about to move towards Mr. Crepsley again but he shoulder barged past and ran off after Darren.

"Leave him be. Trust me he knows what he is doing." Arrow pointed out before they could chase after him. "Besides you would never catch up to him, I want you all standing guild by an entrance to the mountain, if you see them approaching I want you to report back to me immediately." Arrow barked and watched as the guilds ran to follow their orders. Arrow was left alone in the cell and looked down at the pitiful Evra who had started singing in his sleep. "Evra had a little friend, whose blood thirst grew and grew, and so he took a sharpened knife and killed the lot of you." Arrow was slightly worried by the song but put it down to Evra's madness. He left and locked the cell behind him and told a guild Evra was to be executed in 2 night's time.


End file.
